My Hero Path to Power
by Writer Noire
Summary: Before the age of quirks was a different power. An ancient kind that has been held secret until one old man has given it to one Izuku Midoriya. (Cross Posted on Archive of Our Own)
1. Chapter 1

A few rocks fell onto the ground as the hero Deku laid on the ground. His eyes were wide open as he tried to catch his breath. The sounds around him were really muddled as he tried to sit up.

Orange and purple flashes decorated the sky before a person fell to the ground as well. Deku looked at the fallen ally. Katsuki Bakugou was on his hands and knees, coughing out blood.

The teen looked at his rival and yelled something. Deku blinked at him before something bright shined among them. He looked up and saw a purple sphere. A muscled figure was screaming loudly and the two heroes were blown away.

Deku caught himself and gripped the ground. When the force of it finally died down, he slowly got up and whimpered softly. Every part of his body was in deep pain.

Finally his ears started working and he saw the hidden figure land. It was another teen in a proper suit, glowering at him. He pointed at Deku. "I may not be able to spill the old man's blood, but killing you will the best second."

Deku took in a deep breath as he clenched his fists. "You do what you have to pal. Though be warned, I have a love for living."

The teen gritted his teeth and his aura returned. It cracked the ground. Deku sighed and got into a fighting stance. A green aura erupted and wrapped around him. Pink lightning flickered around him. "Let's go!"

The two jumped into the air and became streaks of light. They jumped around the landscape and each time they came in contact a shockwave rocked the island. Cliffs break down, tidal waves crashed on the beach, and the treeline caught on fire.

Deku jumped towards his opponent and faced a barrage of energy blasts. He broke though each blast and came in with his fist pulled back. They both threw punches and caused another explosion. Suddenly two beams of light were swirling around each other.

The two landed on the mountain, clenching hands, growling like wild animals. The ground cracked underneath them. "Nothing personal!"

"It feels a little personal Jugo!" Deku shouted back before breaking the hold with a headbutt. Jugo stumbled back when he felt a fist dig into his cheek. "Detroit Smash: 30%!"

He was flung into the mountain and brought a huge chunk of it down with him. Jugo recovered and powered up. His purple aura destroyed the rocks as he flew back in. Deku crossed his arms and took the blow head on. They went flying into the sky, above the clouds.

The hero broke his guard and grabbed Jugo by the throat. The two started their descent back to earth, throwing as many punches as they could to their opponents. When they were getting closer to the island, Deku kicked Jugo off and had his aura cover him when he finally landed on the ground.

Two large plumes of dust rose high as Deku was on one knee. His arm was numb from the impact and his body was reaching its current limit. "Deku!"

He looked up and saw Bakugou running towards. "What the hell you idiot! Where'd Jugo go?"

"I...I don't know. Last time I saw him, I kicked him into the treeline." The explosion powered teen looked at the forest and looked back Deku. He held out his hand and Deku took it.

"We better get out of here." Bakugou pulled him up and the two turned their backs when they suddenly sensed great danger.

"DEKU!" A pillar of purple and red light erupted into the sky. Jugo rose up the pillar with his pupils gone. The whites of his eyes was dark purple. He let out an animalistic roar and the sky darkened.

Deku and Bakugou eyes widened as Jugo rose up higher in the sky. The two tensed up as they got ready to fight again. The pillar expanded and soon consumed the both of them. They screamed in pain as the bright purple light turned their sight white.

 _11 Years Ago_

Not all men are created equal. That's a lesson young Izuku found himself in as he laid on the ground. His body aching from the beating he took to defend someone else. The sun blazed in his eyes as a walking stick could be heard and a tired voice called out.

"Are you alright son?" Izuku looked up to see an old man standing above him. He tried speaking, but no words came out. But the old man knelt down and patted him on the head. "You took quite the beating there."

"Yeah." Izuku finally answered. The old man smiled softly at him and held his hand out.

"Come on. I'll help you up." Izuku winced at the pain when he tried lifting his hand when the old man reached for it. "I'd call you stupid if you believed you could win, but at least you've got a good heart. Maybe some time you should learn how to properly defend yourself."

"Yeah." Izuku repeated. "I'm...Izuku Midoriya."

"Call me Takahashi." Izuku reached his hand out and grabbed it.


	2. Chapter 2

10 Years Later...  
"Takahashi?" Izuku asked as he entered the building. "Look, I got the tea boxes you want."

The apartment was quiet when Izuku entered. He took in a deep breath and walked in. He walked into the kitchen and put the boxes near the stove. He ran his hand over it and felt the warmth still eminent. Izuku slowly put the last box on the counter and walked out the kitchen.

He suddenly ducked down as a cane tried coming down on him. He dodged the next strike and found Takahashi coming in for a kick. The old man swung around and came in with a kick. Izuku crossed his arms and took the brunt of the attack.

Using the momentum, Izuku spun around with a right hook. Takahashi grinned and caught it. "You're sides are too relaxed."

He bopped Izuku with the end of his cane before thrusting forward and knocking the boy down.

"Not bad. Not bad at all. If you were a bit faster you could've landed that hook." Izuku got up and rubbed his cheek.

"Darn it. I thought I had you this time. I knew the attack was coming as well. You always start with a cane overhead strike and follow it up with a jab. Though I never really accounted you swinging at me with that speed, but I was familiar enough to work around strong kicks." Izuku muttered and Takahashi chuckled at his attitude.

"Boy." He tapped Izuku on the head. "Your analytical mind is a nice addition to your skills, but sometimes you need to learn to just fight. If someone were to pick on you or forbid something worse, you won't have the luxury of thinking up a strategy. Besides from what I see it slows you down."

Izuku rubbed his cheek softly when Takahashi held his hand out. "Now come on. I made some rice burgers for your lunch."

Izuku almost covered his mouth to see his mentor holding a small lunch box.

"You don't have to do this all the time Takahashi."

"No, no. You get up early in the morning to help this old man with his daily chores. And we discussed that payment was either lessons or food. I was feeling generous today."  
Izuku respectfully bowed at his mentor when they looked at the time. "Well we better get going."

"Good." Takahashi opened the door and the two walked out. "Perhaps we can plan your next lesson as we walk."

The two traveled down the sidewalk with Izuku going over his week. "...so I didn't expect those questions."

"Yet you still passed with flying colors." Izuku rubbed the back of his head when a loud crash was heard.

"Actually I'm trying my best because I want to apply to-" A giant scream echoed throughout and Izuku got starry eyed.

"Boy." Takahashi started before Izuku started running down the street. A loud explosion was heard again and Izuku looked on in awe at the spectacle before him. A giant was attacking the city and the heroes nearby were fighting.

"Kamui Woods, Mt. Lady! Oh man they're amazing!" His eyes sparkled at seeing them in action.

The crowd cheered on as the heroes succeeded in their battle. Izuku took out his notebook and started drawing. Takahashi finally caught up and looked at the heroes. He had a tired look on his face.

"Great more heroes."

"I know right! Those two have made a recent upsurge as of late." Izuku excitingly sketched Kamui Woods.

"I see that hero fascination hasn't gone away." Izuku nodded and closed up his journal. "Honestly I thought you would've gotten over it since you're-"  
"Quirkless. I know, but that doesn't define a hero. That reminds me, I want to apply to UA!"

Takahashi looked surprised when Izuku said that. "That's quite the school. Even I know that it's one of the toughest schools to get into. May I ask why?"

"Because All Might went there! The World's Greatest Hero! My dream to save people starts there." He proclaimed. Takahashi rolled his eyes as Izuku started rambling on. It was no secret to him about the admiration he held to All Might. The boy practically worshiped him like a god.

"-still. I mean...it would be easier if I had powers." Izuku concluded.

Takahashi stopped Midoriya. "Midoriya, how intent are you on enrolling in U.A.?"

"All the way!" Takahashi clenched and unclenched his jaw.

"Izuku, what have I been teaching you these past few years?" Midoriya paused and took a moment to think.

"Um, well when I was eleven you offered me self defense lessons that you promised when I was four." Izuku thought over the conversation and quickly blushed in embarrassment. "Which I greatly appreciate! The skills you have taught me have been invaluable and I thank you everyday for that."

Takahashi let out a hearty laugh. "Well I'm glad you can appreciate the skills I've taught you, but...what if I taught you something more."

"More?" Takahashi suddenly looked when a jolt of energy caught his attention. "Tell you what. Later today, when I pick you up from school I'll explain."  
"Is everything alright?"

"I've been thinking on this for sometime Izuku." Takahashi clenched his fist before hearing a bell. "Best you get moving Midoriya. I'll inform your mother that you arrived safely to school."

"Ok! Thanks again Takahashi!" He ran off. Takahashi nodded and unclenched his fist. A tiny ball of light emitted from his hand before being dispelled.

"Not yet."

 _At School_

Midoriya hummed happily as the school day went on. Other people went on going through their gossip before the teacher stopped them. After a small speech, the teacher threw the papers in the air after revealing everyone wanted to join the hero course.

"Please. As if any of you extras can even be a true hero. I'm the only one in the dumpster that has the powerful enough quirk and smarts to enter the best of the best. UA High! I'll graduate as the top dog there and that will be one of the few stepping stones to surpassing every hero, All Might included!"

'Yup, Kaachan has always been like this.' Midoriya thought.

"Hm, it seems Midoriya wants to join UA too." Midoriya stopped writing in his journal and felt increasingly uncomfortable since he could feel eyes were on him. He looked up and saw everyone looking down at him before laughing.

Jeers were thrown his way and Midoriya could barely explain himself. "Are you shitting me!"

A blast hit his desk and Midoriya fell out of his seat. "Bakugou, stop! You know my rules on using your quirk on school property."

Bakugou held an angry expression on his face before turning around. Midoriya went back to his charred desk and felt something bubble within him.

The bell rang and everyone began to leave. Midoriya was putting away his supplies when a hand reached down, taking the journal away. "Hey!"

"Deku, what the hell do you think about applying to UA. I'm sure you know that if the success rate for those with quirks are low, then someone as pathetic as you can't possibly join."

Midoriya felt Bakugou's eyes bear down on him, but something was different. "Just give me back my journal."

"Ooh. It seems the punk wants his little journal." One of Bakugou's lackeys said. The other snickered as Midoriya stood up.

"Give it back Kaachan." He said again. Bakugou sneered and burnt the journal. Midoriya shrieked in horror as the journal fell back on his desk.

"There it's back. Now piss off loser." He said before turning his back. Midoriya clenched his fists tighter as he turned to the other boy. Bakugou quickly turned around and saw Midoriya almost raise his fist. His childhood friend stopped in his tracks. "Deku, were you about to retaliate?"

"..."

"Well?"

Midoriya's fist was still clenched, but it didn't raise any higher.

"That's what I thought. Hey maybe you'll have a better chance in the next life." Bakugou stated. "Hell you can get ahead of the curb by jumping out the window."

They all left laughing at him as Midoriya took deep breaths. Anger, confusion, and fear were all coursing through him as he tried calming down. "No way!"

"What?" Bakugou asked rather caught off guard.

Midoriya gritted his teeth as he lifted his hands. Bakugou's shock disappeared and replaced with anger. The two boys glared at each other as Bakugou's lackeys tried to read the room. Bakugou pointed to outside and Midoriya seemed angry enough to follow.

It seemed so tense that it seemed anything could happen.

Only it ended with Midoriya on his back. Bakugou stepped forward and planted his foot on top of his chest. "Now what did we learn? I'm going to say this as an old 'friend'. You will never amount to anything. Not my fault you born quirkless and inadvertently useless. And no matter what you do, you will always be poor, defenseless Deku. Got it?"

Midoriya was holding his cheek as Bakugou got off his chest and left. He sat up with tears starting to prick out. Wiping it in a futile attempt, Midoriya found his journal in the water and took it back. His phone rang several times while he ran with tears streaming down his face.

Midoriya stopped running to catch his breath when he reached for his phone.

 _T: Izuku? Are you ok? I didn't see you leave school on the others. Remember you're helping me with my groceries._

 _T: Izuku, answer my text._

 _T: Boy are getting my messages? I swear if you kept this thing on silent I'm gonna be pissed._

 _T: Izuku! Are you alright?_

 _M: I'm fine. I just forgot about helping you today. I'm already on my way home._

Midoriya sighed. Takahashi wouldn't accept that answer as it would seem weird to forget plans they've made.

'Hopefully he buys it.'

The bubble on the text conversation moved for a second before the final message.

 _T: Fine, but tomorrow I need some help. Get some rest and we'll talk about anything that got you crying._

Midoriya did a double take at the final message before shutting off his phone. He walked through an old tunnel.

Takahashi put away his phone with a sigh. If he followed his hunch and that hunch is normally correct then he's been bullied again.

"Damn. I thought if anything the self defense lessons would at least boost his confidence." He wasn't paying attention and bumped into someone. It was teenage girl with a bag of groceries.

"Oh my apologies ma'am."

"No, no. It's fine. I wasn't paying attention." Takahashi handed the girl her groceries. The girl bowed respectfully and turned the other way. Takahashi nodded before feeling a shiver down his spine.

It was...power. Raw power that he sensed. He turned to a distance and saw a figure leaping into the sky. 'The hell was that? Could that be…? I've never sensed him up close, but still.'

He turned around and continued to walk down the street. A few minutes later, Takahashi was holding a bag of groceries for himself when he heard a small bang.

"It doesn't matter how harsh it is. That nerd should at least get the full picture now." Takahashi gritted his teeth at the voice. It was Bakugou. The boy that has caused pain to Midoriya for years. The only thing that stopped the man from strangling the boy was Midoriya's insistence that he shouldn't be involved.

"Now my path to being a hero is-MMPH!" Takahashi paused when he heard that and two boys screaming. He turned to the alleyway when a large slimy tendril tried to strike him. He dodged when he turned to see Bakugou.

"What the fuck?!"

Takahashi jumped back as the slime villain stepped forward. "Son of a bitch."  
0-0-0-0-0  
Midoriya was walking through the crowd like a zombie as he finally got down. His entire vision was becoming blurry with another buildup of tears. He kept waking until his back hit someone. Midoriya just fell back to the wall and slowly slid down.

"Hey watch it! Ah not again." The person turned and Midoriya barely registered it was a girl. She looked incredibly annoyed before seeing the despair in his eyes. He sat on his butt with his gaze bearing a hole in the ground. "Hey...are you ok?"

"I'm sorry. Didn't mean to." Midoriya replied as the girl knelt down. He saw her hair was tied up in a massive ponytail. Her concerned look broke his depressing stupor for a second as he blushed lightly.

"You seem sad."

"Really? Oh I didn't notice. I guess it was too much." He said while giving a weak laugh. "Well, I better go."

"Hold on. Let me help you at least." He reluctantly took the girl's hand and sniffed embarrassed.

"Thank you, you're very kind." Midoriya responded before turning around. He started to walk when a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Are you sure you're fine?" Midoriya blushed as the girl looked at him. The boy nodded. She sighed and reached into her bag. Pulling out a soda, she held it up to him as a peace offering. "If anything have something sweet. It should take some of the edge off."

"Th-Thank you." Midoriya stuttered as he took the drink. "Um?"

"Oh I'm Momo Yaoyorozu. Pleased to meet you." She held out her hand. Midoriya held out his and gripped it.

"Izuku Midoriya." Each moment of contact was making him turn redder. He let go and bowed respectfully. "Thank you again for the soda. You are truly a kind person!"

Momo nodded. "I just noticed you were down and looked like you could use some help. Enjoy the rest of your day."

"Y-you too!" He watched her disappear into the crowd before clutching his chest. His heart was pounding. 'I just talked to girl! And it was relatively positive!'

He took in a deep sigh before hearing a loud explosion. Midoriya looked up to see a huge plume of smoke rise from the shopping district of the town. The shakiness of his hands eased up before he dropped the soda and ran towards the sounds. Something within him just willed it so.

The slime monster kept destroying the town and Takahashi jumped back from another piece of debris. The crowd around him was finally pushed back as Bakugou struggled.  
'Damn it.' Takahashi thought. 'If I use my abilities then the boy will be caught in the blast. I can probably blast him off bit by bit, but that will take too long. Bakugou would die by asphyxiation by then. I heard All Might was in town chasing this one and yet he's nowhere to be seen.'

"Old man, step back! We can't have any civilians getting caught up." Takahashi turned to see other heroes begin to file in. He reluctantly did and heard sniffling behind him.  
"Kaachan. Ta-Takahashi." He turned and saw Midoriya. He looked worse for wear emotionally.

"Izuku. What're you doing here? All heroes called for a retreat!" A loud explosion was heard and everyone saw Bakugou trying to break free. "Damn it. Listen Izuku, the heroes are in a stalemate. We should get out of here."

"But...Kaachan."  
"He'll be...he'll be fine. Once a better hero gets he-" Takahashi barely got a word out when Izuku ran past him. "IZUKU!"

"What the-" Heroes and civilians cried out when Izuku ran towards the sludge monster. He grabbed a metal pipe from the ground and ran faster.

"You again!" The monster cried out when he swung his arm. Izuku felt his body move on his own as he dove under the strike. The sludge tried hitting him again, but Izuku dodger again and swung the bar. The bar broke over the sludge before Izuku thrusted the remaining piece in his eye. The sludge monster cried out in pain.

It pulled back and Bakugou breathed again. "What the hell Deku!"

"Sorry Kaachan...I don't want to see you die!" Izuku replies when Bakugou fell next to him. The two looked up as the monster grew in size. Takahashi broke through the line and started running.

"Izuku!" The monster swung with Midoriya and Bakugou covering in some vain attempt. A loud shockwave was felt and blew hard. Takahashi almost fell back from the force of it. He opened his eyes and was surprised to say the least.

All Might was holding Bakugou and Midoriya with another arm holding back the monster.

"What kind of hero would I be if I didn't live by my own words."

'I-I don't believe it. I never thought about how powerful All Might was in person. I know he has power, but what I'm sensing is unimaginable!'

"DETROIT!" All Might shouted. Takahashi felt some much energy buildup. "SMASH!"

The sludge monster was blown away as was the the people. Takahashi uncrossed his arms when he looked up. All Might stood up straight as he held Bakugou and Midoriya together. He raised his fist in victory.

Takahashi let out a deep sigh and clutched his heart. It was beating much faster than what he was normally used to. He looked at Izuku in All Might's hand and came to a good conclusion.

A fist hit the top of Midoriya's head. "OW! What was that for?!"

In the aftermath of the battle, Takahashi finally got Midoriya away from the ruined street and onto another pathway to his house. That's when he punched him.

"Boy! That's for being a complete idiot. You ran into a fight you most likely didn't have a chance of surviving!" He hit Midoriya on the head again. "At any moment he would've destroyed you and yet you still ran in."

Midoriya hung his head down. "I'm sorry Takahashi. I knew it was dangerous, but I don't know why. My body moved on its own."

He looked at the old man. "None of the heroes were helping and Kaachan was about to die! I know I couldn't have done anything, but still I wanted to-"

Takahashi let out a harsh sigh to stop him. The heroes already berated him enough and Bakugou seemed to say something angrily after their statements. Midoriya stopped and looked at his shoes. The two stood still for the moment when Takahashi raised his hand again. Midoriya flinched when Takahashi patted him on the head.

"Yes you did and despite my fear I must say, you looked quite heroic. Izuku..." He stopped and looked to the corner. "I've got something to show you, but I'll come to you when I have it ready."

"Really, but why?" Takahashi looked at the corner and felt the presence from before.

"Nothing for you to know just yet. Now I'm heading home, by myself." He emphasized that last part to where Midoriya nodded. "And you're off training until I find you. Just practice your exercises until then."

Midoriya nodded and walked off. Takahashi turned the corner and felt the presence on the other end move fast. Izuku's scream and the board ring laughter was all Takahashi needed.

He smiled as he held out his palm. The old man clenched it tightly as he heard Midoriya sniffling grow louder.

"Young man, you can become a hero. I deem you worthy of inheriting my quirk." All Might said. Takahashi's smile grew at that. He walked away and felt his heart pumping.  
"I've been debating this for awhile Izuku, but if even the greatest hero can acknowledge your worthiness then so will I."


	3. Chapter 3

The morning sunset was nice as Takahashi was walking with his eyes closed. It was something of a way to focus on finding someone without using just his eyes. Different colored flames with gray or white cores stemmed from each person he's passed. Most people were that way. Even villains deemed by the public were little more than just a darker grey.

It made it easier to prioritize targets if he ever felt like fighting again. Takahashi unconsciously rubbed his wrists when he thought about it. The sounds of crashing waves finally got louder as he looked up to see a massive pile of trash.

"Damn, I thought All Might and Izuku were here to train in private, but in this dump?" He put his hands in his pockets again and closed his eyes. The world went dark once more before seeing two pure cores one with a massive flame surrounding it and the other being significantly smaller.

'Bingo.' Takahashi thought before moving over to a pile just behind them. He stopped as he heard the two talk while his thoughts ran faster in his mind. 'Izuku...what I'm planning to do will forever take back my promise, but I hope the techniques and power I teach will be worth it.'

Before he could step out a large hand pressed against the top and began to crush it. "Young Midoriya! This will be your first-OH!"

Takahashi yelped when the container was crushed like a soda can, revealing him laying on the sand in surprise.

Izuku and All Might were gasped to see the old man revealed. "T-Takahashi?! What're you doing here?"

'SHIIIIIIIT!' Takahashi and All Might thought.

"You know this man young Midoriya?"

Izuku nodded. "Yes I do. He's a friend of the family and I-" Takahashi raised his hand and Izuku stopped talking.

"I should apologize. I didn't plan on revealing myself like...that." He sweatdropped. "All Might, I was actually looking for Izuku. I wanted to give him something."

"Oh?" The two said.

Takahashi stood up and brushed off his clothing. "Izuku, when I left you that evening I sticked around when I sensed All Might was around."

Izuku and All Might froze as Takahashi continued. "I thought he had something important to say to you, but I knew he wouldn't come out unless I left so I did. And when I heard him claim that you could become a hero due to your own desire and reflexes it...inspired me."

"Inspired?" Izuku questioned as Takahashi looked at All Might.

"You've taken Izuku under your wing to train him, but I wanted to come here and offer my services to help his journey."

"That's very kind!" All Might laughed. "What were you thinking of teaching young Midoriya?"

Izuku turned to the older man and looked with anticipation. Takahashi grinned and held out his palm. "All Might, I spent some time teaching Izuku basic martial arts for self-defense, but if he wants to become a hero he'll need more than that. I want to train him to mastering the power within his own body to something like this."

The duo watched as a white dot appeared above Takahashi's palm. It grew before a blue orb formed. Wind began to pick up as the energy continued to swirl around. Izuku's jaw dropped.

"All Might, Izuku, I trust you with this is information and I pray that it never leaves the three of us. Before the age of quirks there were always tales of those who gained extraordinary powers. These people were seen as gods, warriors, heroes. However these people did not gain their strength from genetics, but by harnessing the raw untapped potential of one's own spiritual power or chakra through intense training. I am one of those few warriors left behind and I wish to pass my teachings unto you Izuku!"

"…"

Takahashi looked at them for a response before feeling awkward. "Was that too dramatic or too much? I swear I thought that speech would be perfect to gr-"

"WHAT!" Midoriya could barely contain himself. "But I thought your quirk was a healing one! Yet you can say you're able to generate your own energy to different forms. I thought this was crazy, but…" Takahashi felt even more embarrassed as the orb died down in his palm before he karate chopped Midoriya!

"Boy! This isn't the time for your incessant muttering!" He turned and looked at All Might. "I...apologize to bringing this up with you, but I want to help Izuku."

"...I'm not going to say no." All Might said. "Young Midoriya, I want to continue your exercise on the beach. I will talk to Takahashi."

"No way, Takahashi you've hidden this so well and I have so many questions."

Takahashi raised his hands in surrender. "I will answer as much as I can when we get the time, but do as All Might says."

Izuku looked at the two before silently agreeing. He trudged back to the wagon and began picking up trash. All Might turned to Takahashi and pointed to a more secluded area.

"I must say that is quite some news."

"Yeah it is. I just...I think it's time I pass it on."

"I know the feeling. Did you hear about my quirk during my conversation with Young Midoriya?"

Takahashi nodded no. "Then you will doubly surprised as I'm passing Midoriya something as well!"

An hour passed by and with the occasional command to Midoriya to continue, Takahashi and All Might chatted.

"A quirk passed on for generations. That explains whenever I sense I can sense an abundance of power." All Might nodded.

"Yes and I am quite surprised to hear what you plan on giving Young Midoriya."

He raised his cane. "Teaching. Izuku will gain this power through me teaching him. It will be hard road though. The training can be brutal and if he's working for your quirk then I'll be adding on to his pile."

All Might pulled out a few papers. "It's a good thing I brought these papers for Young Midoriya. This was my step by step workout plan for him! However given the new circumstances I think you'd like to look it over."

"Thank you. You can relax by the way. I saw your small form before I left." All Might looked surprised before reverting to his base form. Takahashi flipped through the pages and looked at Midoriya struggling to pull a heavy wooden cabinet. All Might took a picture as Takahashi pulled out a pen to start making adjustments.

All Might turned to him as he was crossing out certain requirements. "So what adjustments are you making?"

"I'm changing his daily diet. The massive protein diet will be needed, but a few adjustments will be needed to work with what I'm teaching him. Also his days on the beach will be brought down to six days a week. I can train him on your hours, but I need one free day for him."

"Of course. I must admit this isn't what I expected. Young Midoriya mentioned you when I saw he wasn't as scrawny as I thought, but I didn't imagine your abilities to be...taught."

Takahashi nodded and looked Izuku who was lifting a rusted pipe. "Taught is the right word. One for All and my Chakra arts are very volatile powers in the wrong hands."

"That is very true. However I have great faith in Young Midoriya. The kid has guts and a will of a true hero."

Takahashi kept marking up several more pages when he stopped. "That is true, but let's not pretend that's what makes him special. There are plenty of people who can qualify for a true hero's will."

All Might gave a disagreeing grunt before being handed the list. "What should set him apart from others is that he is quirkless at the moment. I know he can become a hero, but can he be one willing to break himself down for it. I have some reserves on whether or not he can make it in ten months."

The two looked Midoriya now trying to push a tire. All Might smiled. "We'll make a bet."

"A bet?"

"From my projections the ten month gap between now and the exam is when Young Midoriya should be ready to obtain my power. However I'm willing to bet he breaks that expectation and earns both of our powers sooner."

Takahashi glanced at Midoriya. 'I don't want against you, I've just seen what the quirkless are capable of.'

"I'll take those odds." The two shook hands as the sun continued to rise.


	4. Chapter 4

Midoriya yawned and stetched his exhausted muscles. The resounding pop pf his bones woke him up as Takahashi stood in front of him.

"Good morning Izuku, how're you?"

"Tired." He yawned again. "So...what're we doing today?"

Takahashi grinned and went to his cabinet. He pulled out a black box and opened it up. He waved Izuku over and the boy followed his command. The two looked down seeing two black bands. Takahashi pulled them out and placed them on Izuku's wrist.

"What's this?"

"The current schedule with All Might has you lose a considerable amount of time training those muscles for weight. Luckily I found a bit of my old training equipment. It's also nice to wear as they're quite stylish." He held Izuku's wrist bands and twisted a small dial.

The green haired boy's arms immediately fell to the ground. "What the-?! This feels like it weighs a ton!"

"Oh don't be so overdramatic. It's simply two hundred pounds over your limit. If I gave you weights that were easy to carry then this wouldn't be training. Now I want you to give me five laps around the neighborhood."

"EH!?"

Takahashi chuckled. "Come now. You should've seen this coming. Now go on jog while I prepare myself tea."

Izuku struggled lifting up the pounds until he was standing with his arms on his sides. He took one step before Takahashi reached into the box and tossed two more bands to his ankles. "Oh come on!"

"No complaining. Jog." He proceeded to watch Izuku struggle to walk out of the house while crushing a few leaves. The boy felt sweat soak his shirt as he stepped onto the road. It seemed the road was growing as he tried to go as fast as he can. He could feel his muscles crying in agony as it was almost nothing compared to the heavy lifting he did on the beach.

Takahashi was recording him struggle to run and sent it to All Might with the message, ' _You're training is really working. I'm using heavier weights than I anticipated.'_

'Maybe I should call Inko too. Let her know that Izuku will be home late.'

All Might sent a thumbs up as Takahashi sat back on the bench with a cup of tea. He blew softly on it as he continued to watch.

A few hours later Midoriya came around with his arms slightly raised and a face red. He was breathing hard when he reached the yard and collapsed. He looked up to see Takahashi standing over him.

"Tired?"

"Mhnfm." Words could barely move from his lips. Takahashi just held his garden hose before pressing the trigger, pouring the contents over his head. Midoriya sighed in relief when he did.

"Once you get use to the weight we'll go to learning more combat." Midoriya nodded before passing out.

Weeks later, Izuku was running across the beach while All Might was watching proudly. Takahashi was waiting for Izuku when the boy raised his arms. The old man moved out of the way as Izuku began to swing his arms. He ducked and weaved through each strike while All Might watched intently.

Midoriya panted hard as Takahashi yawned. "How was that All Might?"

All Might stood up and walked around Midoriya. "Not bad. He grew considerably faster since I heard you slapped on those weight bands on him. Young Midoriya, I've noticed you've taken more loose form whenever you use those weights."

He lifted Midoriya's arms and took off the bands the arms and legs. "Now let's see what you do when you don't have it."

Midoriya rolled his wrists and saw Takahashi move into another stance. All Might gave him a nod which Izuku took as the start. Everything moved faster as Izuku was throwing faster punches. His feet moved smoothly against the sand when Takahashi jumped back. Midoriya threw one punch and felt his fist hit the one the metal bins. It gained a deep dent to where All Might and Takahashi raised an eyebrow.

"Not bad, but…" He kicked Izuku in the stomach and sent him flying a few feet. "You need to have some footwork. I realized you focus on your punches too much." Izuku got up and wiped some spit off his mouth. He took a deep breath when Takahashi stepped forward.

He grabbed Izuku up and stared him down. "Remember that and let this be a lesson."

Izuku nodded and was dropped on the floor. All Might helped him up to his feet. "All right Young Midoriya take a rest and when you're ready spend a few hours cleaning up the beach."

The boy nodded. All Might and Takahashi shared a look before walking to a different part of the beach.

"He's improving." All Might started.

"He is. His body has adjusted well to the weights and the dietary plans I sent to his mother is working."

"See I told you!" All Might exclaimed.

"Don't celebrate too early. Despite his skills, Izuku is still quirkless." He looked back and saw Midoriya mumbling to himself before testing out a kick.

All Might nodded. "Perhaps, but I see the spirit of a great hero! When he receives One for All, I can rest knowing it's in good hands."

"How do you know?" Takahashi almost mumbled. "How do you know if they're the right people to inherit those powers?"

The hero looked at the old man confused before sighing. "Takahashi, we've worked together for the past few weeks. Passing on our power to the next generation is something I dreaded once, but in the end you must have faith. And carry on with a bright smile to the future!"

He gave a thumbs up and Takahashi looked surprised before chuckling.

"Midoriya looks up to you. Worships you. Since I met him as a child, there's never been a day I haven't heard him say your name." All Might waited for him to continue. Takahashi sighed and opened his palm. A small ball of light appeared and began to grow. "And when I sensed your power up close, I was honestly amazed. Someone like you could hold the world with a cold fist, but you use it to hold them up."

He turned and saw Izuku lifting up a wooden cabinet. "You haven't let him down yet so I have no reason to not trust your judgement."

"Aw you make me blush." Takahashi shot him a glare. "But does my wisdom answer your own question on giving Midoriya your gift?"

He kept his glare up for another second before dropping it. "I'm not giving him my gift. I'm teaching him it. Chances of him actually attaining the power I have is a thirty five percent chance. Logically speaking One for All should be the only power he'll receive."

"Wait, but you said you wanted to pass it on!"

"Wanted is the key word." He closed his fist. "It's much different than will, but I will have faith in his abilities." All Might nodded as Takahashi walked back to Midoriya.

The Next Week

"Meditation?"

"That's right. You've trained your body quite well in holding up power, but the powers I wish to grant you go beyond the physical. It's to the spiritual."

Midoriya scratched his head. "Chakra right? I read up on that during my free time, but how can I do that? Do you I have to consume some kind of special tea before I meditate? Or is it something…"

Takahashi's eye twitched as Midoriya went on rambling. He slammed his fist on the table and silenced Midoriya.

"No mumbling! This is exactly what this meditation session is for. You have too many thoughts and distractions in your head and something like that will not help. The mind and spirit must be in sync, empty, at peace. As for your questions, I will help you reach the gate. However it is up to you to claim your power. Do you understand me?"

"I...I think so."

Takahashi nodded and lit up the candles. "Now close your eyes boy. Empty your mind and feel yourself become one. I will begin your trial now."

Midoriya nodded and closed his eyes. His breathing eased as Takahashi walked behind him. He placed his hand on Izuku's back and blue light pumped into him. Izuku gasped slightly when his eyes opened and white light erupted from it.


	5. Chapter 5

Izuku opened his eyes after feeling the initial burn. "Ow."

He got up and shook his head. The pain slowly subsided as he got up and saw the light around him begin to dim down. His eyes adjusted before he got up.

"Takahashi!" He wanted to yell, but his lips didn't move. He patted his throat and tried talking but kept failing to speak. A small puddle appeared and he looked over it. His reflection wasn't himself. It was a man on fire. Only it wasn't bright orange, but green. Touching his cheek, the lack of heat surprised him. His features were barely seen. It was a faint outline that showed his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Everything else was different.

'What the hell?' No external voice, but an inner voice was the closest thing he had to one. Before he could look over the rest of himself sniffling was heard. He stopped looking at the puddle and saw the world begin to construct itself. He took one step forward and a bit more of the world formed in front of him while behind him some broke.

Taking his time, Izuku walked along the path to keep listening to the sobbing. The world in front of him began to form properly.

'Is this my apartment?' He wondered. The sniffling got louder as he walked up the stairs. It sounded more familiar. 'Mom?'

He ran up the stairs and opened it. Inko Midoriya was sobbing to herself while she had several tubs of ice cream. Izuku felt a cold hand tighten around his heart. His mom lost her figure since she first learned that he was quirkless, more importantly when she couldn't say he could be a hero.

'Mom?'

" _I'm sorry Izuku. I'm so sorry that you're-"_ She sobbed softly. He reached out for her when there was a knock on the door. Izuku turned to the door and carefully walked to it. He gripped the doorknob tightly before the door exploded.

Izuku was sent flying back as the apartment erupted into billowing smoke and flame. " _ **DEKU!"**_

He got up and saw Bakugou looking down on him. Actually he seemed to be...larger. 'Kaachan?'

" _ **WHAT'S YOUR QUIRKLESS ASS DOING?!"**_ He yelled. Midoriya covered his ears as his voice echoed throughout. The apartment was blown away leaving him in a barren field. " _ **I THINK YOU NEED TO LEARN ANOTHER LESSON!"**_

Bakugou's hands pointed down and Midoriya felt fear burst through his chest as the light brightened once more.

'NO!' He screamed when he felt the heat. His eyes shut tight when the heat intensified.

' _Takahashi.' His mind was buzzing with that name. 'Could I be a hero?'_

' _...Let's focus on the present.'_ Midoriya could barely see Takahashi's back through the light before the heat grew more. A few moments later it died down and Midoriya found himself at the front of a large gate. He got up and winced. When he got up, the gate quivered in his presence. It hummed softly as he moved closer to it.

Izuku heard whispers from the gate. It was too soft to make out any words, but it tickled his ears when he did it. He placed his hand on the gate to nudge it. "What are you doing here child?"

Midoriya jumped at the voice and turned to see no one. "It has been quite some time since one has visited this realm in that form. Perhaps the Order still lives on."

'Wh-What?'

"Have you come to unlock the power within your soul child?" The voice asked. Midoriya slowly moved his eyes around to see if there was anyone else, but saw none. "Well?"

He nodded and the voice chuckled. "I do sense you child. One of great will and pure spirit born from pain and sadness. It has been awhile since one such as yourself approached the gate."

The gate began to open and light began pouring out the slit. Midoriya covered his eyes from the light when the voice chuckled. "Power like this does not come often and even one such as yourself may never truly use it, but perhaps a taste of it should be enough. Reach your hands in and be reborn."

Midoriya felt his hands quiver at the possibility. The gate opened slowly when he placed his hands on the wood. With one mighty heave, the door burst open and power flooded his sense. His mouth finally opened, but the scream was deafened. And then the world came back.

"-ku! Izuku! Calm DOWN!" Midoriya opened his eyes and saw the room was messed up. White light lit up the room as Midoriya saw in one of the broken mirrors, himself wrapped in light.

Takahashi bopped him on the head before he could look any further. It dispelled and Midoriya fell onto his knees.

"What the-?"

"Not bad. How do you feel?" Midoriya got up and did feel...different. He slowly flexed his arms. Tiny sparks could be felt in his biceps.

"Amazing."

Takahashi grinned at Izuku's new face of confidence. "Then let's get back to training."

The two shared a look of determination before a ring was heard. Takahashi pulled out his phone and looked at the caller ID. "Oh shit. Your mom's calling me. We got a dinner to plan."

"Seriously?!"

Two Weeks Later

"HA!" Takahashi blocked the punch, but felt his heel dig into the sand. Midoriya grinned as he felt the pushback. All Might looked surprised when Takahashi took a second to retaliate. The two began exchanging blows with Midoriya taking the majority of it while Takahashi dodged or blocked every one of his. His fist slid past Takashi's cheek when Izuku felt his knee hit him.

Izuku jumped back and panted hard as Takahashi cracked his neck. "Not bad. You've gotten faster and your punches are harder, but it's still nothing."

"Keep going Young Midoriya! You almost got him on that last punch." The old man discreetly wiped his cheek to wipe off the small bit of blood off. Midoriya nodded and got back into his stance.

'He is getting better, but how much? It's been two weeks since the meditation session and he's shown little improvement in that area.' He dodged Izuku's kick. 'Perhaps it was a fluke? No that doesn't make any sense, he should've been able to do something by now.'

Midoriya went in for a left hook, but Takahashi grabbed it and twisted it to go behind the boy's back. He kicked him away and sighed.

'Maybe that glow was from my power going through him. Or could it be he needs...' Izuku got up and screamed in frustration. Takahashi looked up as All Might got worried.

"Why aren't you taking this seriously Takahashi? I thought this is when the real training begins." Takahashi didn't answer as the bangs of Izuku's hair covers his eyes. "You were wondering where that power is? I don't know ok! I thought I opened it when I was there, but I guess not!"

"Young Midoriya." All Might sounded concerned, but Midoriya was looking at the pitiful glance Takahashi had.

"Izuku, these powers, is something that can't be attained by most people. You shouldn't feel bad. I've seen those who seemed capable to obtain it fail."

Tears began to pour out. "But you've trained me so hard along with All Might. I didn't want to disappoint you. Either of you."

His mentors looked at each other before Midoriya clenched the sand tightly in his hands. He got up and felt something charging up. Jumping to his feet, that burning energy moved to his feet and launched him to Takahashi.

"Look OUT!" All Might shouted. Takahashi turned to see Izuku right in front of him. Tears were streaming down his face as his fist was raised. Takahashi knew he couldn't dodge and raised his own. The two clashed and green fire erupted between them. All Might's eyes widened to see Midoriya covered in a fiery green aura with the features of his face sharpened.

"There it is." Takahashi said. 'So you unlocked the Anahata level. That almost makes it painfully clear.'

Midoriya's angry expression struggled to keep it up as Takahashi. "You needed a catalyst."

Midoriya glared at Takahashi before the aura broke and his features softened again. He fell to his knees.

All Might stood stunned looking at the two when he moved to Midoriya. "Young Midoriya? Are you alright?"

"I...I got it." He got up and clenched his fists. "I just need to focus."

The two stood by as Midoriya tried focusing. He hissed with the strain in his body when the sand began to rise slowly. Takahashi felt a smile crawl on his face when the sand finally bursted and the green aura returned. Midoriya's senses were amplified ten times over as he felt his veins pulse with more power.

"Izuku." Takahashi called out. He looked at old man and saw him intensify his glare. A blue aura erupted and All Might covered his eyes before the sand hit it. "You can activate it, but can you control it. If you can't control your own power then what makes you think All Might's will be any easier?"

Midoriya nodded before getting into a stance. All Might smiled at seeing his successor acting with more confidence in his stride. Takahashi cracked his neck before rushing forward. Izuku was kicked in the face, flying into the ocean and making a big splash.

"Bonus points it'll make you more durable." He turned to All Might. "So do you intend on helping Izuku with combat?"

"I don't think so. I will continue training Young Midoriya on molding his body for One for All. In the meantime, combat exercises can be handled by you."

"If you say so, but you're missing all the fun." Midoriya jumped out of the water and landed back on the sand. He was trying catch his breath and nursing the bruise on his cheek, but his smile was bright and competitive.

The two shared a smirk before clashing once again. Weeks passed and Midoriya found himself doing far more intense exercises.

"Now that you can access your chakra. You have an access to all new abilities." Takahashi said. "Aura."

Midoriya grunted hard when his aura flared up again. His hair moved more flowingly.

"Healing."

Takahashi cut himself and placed his hand over it. All Might and Midoriya looked over the wound and saw it begin to seal itself.

"A sixth sense."

Midoriya kept his eyes closed after grabbing this week's groceries and saw the energy signatures of every one.

"But the flashiest one...Energy BEAMS!" All Might and Midoriya both had sweat drop when they Takahashi strike uncharastic pose. "So yeah that's what you'll be able to do when you get the chance. Or at least the basics."

Midoriya nodded and got up. His eyes shined with a new level of determination.


	6. Chapter 6

"167, 168, 169...170!" He paused to catch his breath. He stopped there and finally fell over. He tried to catch his breath before he jumped up to his feet. Midoriya wiped the sweat off his forehead before catching himself in the mirror. His eyes darted to the door before he kinda flexed his arm. Over the past few months his body was looking more and more fit. The small gut he had from his favorite katsudon disappeared and replaced with a solid six pack. His chest, arms, and legs got a similar upgrade with lean muscle replacing the fat.

"Who's gonna be a hero? You! You're the hero!" Never really out loud, but Midoriya was pretty proud of himself of the new look. Sore mornings and torn muscles aside, it was all worth it. To be become the vessel for All might, one's got have the physique. He flexed like All Might and tried smiling as hard as he could.

"Izuku! I have a few-Oh my!"

"Mom!" Midoriya blushed bright neon as his mother was trying to hold back her mirth. He dove behind his bed and tried grabbing his shirt.

"I'm sorry sweetie. I didn't mean to!" She finally giggled.

Midoriya got up and put on his shirt when his mother held out a list. "Here. Takahashi wanted me to hand you this for next week's dinner. He's bringing a friend over and wanted us to meet him."

She was still trying to stifle her giggling, but Izuku took the list. "Ok mom. I got it."

He put on his shoes and ran out before seeing his mom wink at him. He shot back a weak smile before running off. Running down the street, Midoriya looks at the list and scratches his head.

"Huh, a bunch of these are American ingredients. The normal store we go to doesn't have a lot of these things. But one more in town does. Which means…" He looked at his phone and saw how long the walk was.

Midoriya looked at the route before facing the most straight direction. "Well who says I can't make this an interesting grocery run."

 _"Parkour? What does this have to do with my training?" Midoriya asked._

 _"A lot actually. And this one isn't my idea." Takahashi said._

 _All Might stepped up and laughed. "It was my idea! Young Midoriya, over the years I've seen how important mobility is for young heroes especially when chasing villains through cities. After seeing what you're doing with your Chakra and with soon arrival of One for All, I believe it is best we can focus on increasing your maneuverability."_

Midoriya stretched his legs as he let his chakra flow through him. Since he unlocked his chakra there's been a substantial increase in his base strength, speed, and stamina. He bolted up to the wall and ran up to the ledge. Pulling himself up, Midoriya felt the thrill coursing through his veins as the wind blew in his air. Sliding and jumping through most obstacles, Midoriya jumped to a ladder and hopped off.

It was hard the first few times, but he faced little error now.

"Aw yeah! This is awesome! I got this! I can d-" His foot slipped on the last edge. 'Ah nuts.'

Next thing he knew was that his back landed on some garbage bags left out. Breath knocked out, Midoriya let out a small whine when he rolled onto the cement. The alleyway was deserted thankfully, so no one saw his wipeout.

"Ok. Ok. So next time call out your victory when you land." He complained to himself. Getting up, Midoriya walked out of the alleyway before bumping into someone.

"AH! Excuse me!" An elegant voice said. Midoriya opened his eyes and turned to the person. It was a girl. A beautiful girl. It was a beautiful, familiar girl. It was the girl that offered that soda when…

"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! I didn't mean too!" He bowed apologetically. Her name was on the tip of his tongue. "Ya-Ya-Yaoyorozu."

The girl stopped looking stern and now confused. "Wait, are you that boy?It was...Mi-Midori…"

"Midoriya. Izuku Midoriya. We met...a while back."

"Oh you're right. I gave you a soda after seeing you sitting on the street and when you weren't feeling any good. Wait are you feeling any better?" Momo asked. Midoriya felt his cheeks heat up. This conversation was lasting a lot longer than he anticipated.

"Oh, oh yeah. I'm fine! Actually after that day you helped me I got better. I'm now training for UA!"

Momo's look changed. "Wait, you want to go to U.A.?"

He nodded excitingly. "Yeah that's the school I want if I want to become one of the greatest heroes! I guess that's the same for you."

Momo nodded. "You guessed correctly. I actually got there by...does something smell off?"

Midoriya froze in his spot as he realized that he, A. Landed in garbage and B. Immediately talked to this girl and didn't take into account how he smelled. He blushed heavily in embarrassment and slowly itched away.

"Midoriya? Is everything alright?"

"Oh I'm sorry, I actually I forgot I was on a grocery run and I need to get it done before my mother gets too worried about me. It was nice to see you again!" He bolted fast before she could get a word out. She watched his back disappear down the street and chuckling once he disappeared.

"What a strange boy. I'm glad he's doing better though." Just before leaving her eyes caught sight of a slip of paper.

Midoriya on the other hand felt anything but that. 'Holy shit, what is wrong with you?! Got caught peeking at myself by mom, slipping on that bar, and now talking to a girl while smelling like garbage! Today is not my day.'

He stopped and found himself in front of the store.

"Alright. I'm here and I can probably get the rest of my day done without anything else going-" He took one step before the doors opened and an angry customer came out. They had an octopus face and was arguing something with an employ.

"Well screw you!"

"Sir." The employee said before the octopus guy lifted his tentacles. Midoriya felt his body move before any rational thought and jumped in front of the employee and getting covered in ink. Black ink covered him and Midoriya spat out some of the black fluid as the octopus man left.

"Oh my God, sir, I am very thankful that. Let me just run into the store for anything to. Clean you up!" The employee left and Midoriya slowly let his arms fall to his side.

'Fuck everything you were about to say.' Midoriya thought. 'Can this day get any-'

A few running steps came up behind him. "Midoriya, are you here?"

'AAAAAAAHHHHH!' Midoriya screamed anguishly in his mind. He accepted his fate and turned to see Momo. Her expression went from complete surprise to a small smile.

"M-Midoriya?" She said while holding back her laughter.

"Hi Yaoyorozu." He sighed. "This, um, came from a...octopus man. I kinda, it wasn't my fault! I just...got inked on."

"I can see that." The door opened and the employee came out with a towel, t-shirt, and cargo shorts.

"Here sir. There's a hose on the other side you can use and here's some new clothes to replace the ruined ones. And thank you very much."

Midoriya accepted it and walked to the other side of the building. Momo followed him and saw the hose.

"Well my day can't get any worse. Can you…?" Momo was handed the hose and Midoriya aimed it at his head.

"Of course." She blushed slightly when she sprayed him. Ink was washed off and streamed down the street.

"Thanks."

"You are welcome." She passed the towel before her cheeks turned red. The t-shirt he was wearing was clinging to his body. She swallowed nervously as he was drying his hair. 'I guess he really is training for U.A.'

Midoriya stopped drying his hair. "Huh? Did you say something?"

"I was just making note of the results of your training! I mean your muscles-I mean you look capable!" She stuttered out fast.

He looked down innocently and saw the shirt was revealing his figure. Blushing hard, Midoriya dashed behind a wall. He lifted a hand and Momo tossed it. She looked away, but peeked for one second to see his back. Blood pumped to her cheeks and turned it bright crimson.

He popped out of the corner and tried breaking the tension. "Um, thank you for helping me."

"No problem. I actually followed you because you dropped this." She held out his list and he almost face-palmed.

"I'm kind of a mess today. I feel like I'm thanking you for almost everything." He took back the list.

"Well I'm glad to be of service." She looked at her watch. "Oh I must be off. Mother and father would be expecting me."

Midoriya looked to the side before stepping up. "Wait, um, would you mind if I walk with you to your house? I mean you helped me, maybe an escort would be...okay?"

Momo looked surprised until she nodded. "I would love an escort. Thank Midoriya."

"You call me Izuku if you want Yaoyorozu." He replied.

"Then you can call me Momo, Izuku."

The two walked down the road and Midoriya was sweating bullets. 'Ok, I'm walking with a girl. A pretty girl. A pretty girl who has taken in my trash smell and saw my inked on clothes today who also hasn't laughed in my face. Don't mess this up, don't mess this up!'

"So if it's not too much, may I ask what your quirk is?"

"Oh that's...my quirk is, uh, energy manipulation." She looked surprised as Midoriya cupped his hands and a small green orb appeared. "I can manipulate the natural energy within my body. I use it mostly to enhance my strength and speed, but I'm trying to do more with it. Wh-What about you?"

"Creation. I use the lipids within my body and recreate their molecular structure to any non-organic object." Midoriya's eyes widened.

"Holy crap, that is so cool! You can create anything?"

"As long as I know their molecular structure and have the necessary body fat for it." She explained.

Izuku pondered on that. "Amazing! And you're going to try out for U.A?"

"Actually, I would be entering U.A. through recommendations."

"Well I can see U.A doing that."

The noon sun was rising higher as Midoriya saw the homes around them looking more grand than anything else. Momo found herself really enjoying the walk when she stopped in front of a mansion.

"Thank you Izuku for escorting me back to my home." She saw Midoriya's eyes widen to a high degree.

"Y-You're w-welcome." He stuttered. 'SHE'S STACKED WITH MONEY!'

"Izuku, I wish you luck on the U.A. exams."

He immediately calmed down when she said that. Calming down, Midoriya gave her a bright smile and thumbs up. "Thanks. Maybe I'll see you there when I arrive."

She flashed a smile and entered her home. Another blush crept up, but she didn't notice. "Interesting boy."

Izuku was rubbing his cheeks before he thrust his fist into the air in celebration. "I talked to a girl! And she didn't mock me like all the others!"

Midoriya felt a lot better walking back from the mansion when his phone rang. He opened it and saw his mother's text.

Mom: Sweetie have you got the groceries? I need to start making dinner soon.

"Shit!" Midoriya said out loud as he ran back to the store.

0-0-0-0-0

Hours later, Inko Midoriya was finishing up her cooking as her son lied on the couch reading his textbook and somewhat tired. "Well I'm happy that store gave you a discount on the groceries. Maybe you should become a hero for better grocery benefits."

"Haha. Anyways why is Takahashi requesting dinner here?" He asked. 'He didn't mention anything about coming over. Even so why would he want mom to make all these American dishes?'

"He said he had some important news to tell us and that he was bringing a friend over. His friend helped with something and Takahashi told me he had a soft spot for American food. So cheeseburgers, fries with a special chili sauce will be for tonight."

"...oh." Midoriya said while his brain was screaming. 'ALL MIGHT! ALL MIGHT IS TAKAHASHI'S FRIEND AND HE'S COMING TO OUR HOME! No, I should be ready for this. Nothing should go wrong!'

His mom finished up toasting the buns when she turned to her son. "Would get the table ready?"

"Of course mom. I would love to!" He moved robotically to the table before hearing the doorbell. "I'll get it."

He opened the door to see Takahashi. "Yo."

Before he could reply, All Might came out in his deflated form. "Ah Young Midoriya. It's nice to see you today."

"AH!" Izuku fell to the floor in a heap. Takahashi and All Might looked at each other.

"Izuku is there a problem?" She called out from the kitchen.

"It's nothing Inko. My friend surprised him and he slipped." A small ghost of Izuku was floating out of his mouth as All Might and Takahashi had a sweat drop. Inko turned the corner and saw the three.

Takahashi stepped over Izuku. "This is my friend, Toshinori Yagi."

"G-Greetings Miss." Toshi replied as he was trying to Izuku back on his feet.

0-0-0-0-0

"So Takahashi whats the news?" Everyone got settled and Takahashi sat between Toshinori and Inko. Izuku sat in front of them and was enjoying his burger.

Izuku was trying his best not to look too worried when Toshinori glanced at Takahashi.

His first teacher cleared his throat and put down his utensils. "Of course. I was talking with my friend, Toshinori, and he told me that I was accepted into U.A as a new faculty member."

Both Midoriya's spat out there rice as Toshinori let out a hearty laugh.

"You're going to be on the U.A staff!" Inko and Izuku exclaimed. Takahashi rubbed the back of his head bashfully.

"Well yes. There was an opening for a nursing position next to the hero, Recovery girl, along with being a substitute teacher for any class at the moment. So I took my chance and applied. You know my what my quirk is."

"Ah yes. Healing hands." That was always the answer to what his quirk was. Izuku remembered that any time he used his chakra in public, it was either to heal him or any bruises from their training session. It was also the excuse he bought before Takahashi revealed the deeper depths of his power. "I'm so happy for you and Mr. Yagi thank you for giving this man a chance to help U.A."

"You're very welcome ma'am! However I believed that Takahashi impressed the principal enough to get the job. He'll have his first job during the U.A entrance exam."

Inko pondered on that. "Takahashi, in all the years we've known you, I never knew you had a teaching license."

"Well Inko it hadn't really come up and my license was the least of my worries."

"What made you decide the job?" Midoriya asked.

Takahashi scratched his nose before turning to him. "Well I thought I'd put my hands to better use. Toshinori told me about this next generation of heroes and it peaked my curiosity. Put that alongside your desire to become a hero and I was on the path to helping lead the next generation."

Inko clapped her hands once with her eyes shining with pride. "It's wonderful to hear you say that. Maybe you and Izuku will work together."

Toshinori turned to Izuku. "Young Midoriya, is that true that wish to attend U.A?"

Izuku blushed. "Y-Yeah. I wish to become a hero that saves others with a smile on my face to ease them. Like my idol!"

He screamed in his head as Toshi smiled slyly at that.

"Well I wish you luck with that. You know one could keep a great smile by telling great quips and jokes. I remember reading some old comic books from America about one hero who does such a thing. It annoyed his enemies and brought great levity to others. Perhaps that could be one way of keeping that smile you need."

Midoriya nodded at that before looking down somewhat embarrassed. "That would work for me."

"And bad against your enemies. Frustrating them can be quite effective in defeating them."

"Yes sir." Izuku tried to continue eating his burger and the conversation continued on.


	7. Chapter 7

" _You traitor." A painful groan followed it before whoever's eyes opened to a man standing above. The figure was wearing a combat gi with armor platings on the knees and shoulders._

 _He stood with a single trail of blood travelling down his cheek. "You slaughtered them all. Killed every last one of them."_

" _The Order's corruption could no longer be tolerated. I simply acted as I should."_

" _Corruption? We were helping people. You've been misguided!" The figure looked away before reaching down and pulling them closer. The features of a battle worn warrior ordained his blood red pupils. His long ebony fair blew softly in the wind._

" _Misguided? No, That's not what I know. The actions you and the Order have taken had forced my hand to slaughter every one of them. Men, women, children. All of their blood was needed to stop you."_

" _You...you're a monster!"_

 _As they stood, the sun began to rise. Bright colors illuminated the bloody battlefield as the man raised his hand. A blood red ball grew from it before it was slammed down the watcher's perspective._

Takahashi's eyes opened widely as the break of dawn entered the room. He winced before looking to see his hand was clenched so tightly that nails broke the skin. Focusing, the skin hissed as it repair itself.

He yawned and sat up before feeling something. Takahashi felt something wet on his cheek. Wiping some of it off, he examined himself.

'Just a dream. It was...nothing, but a dream.'

His phone rang which surprised him. Grabbing it the old man opened it see a text from All Might.

 _AM: Good Morning My Friend! I hope you slept well after last night's dinner. I was planning to head to the beach before Young Midoriya arrived and wanted to bring you with me!_

Takahashi sighed.

The morning sun was peeking over the ocean as Takahashi yawned. "I need to lay off the fries. Inko's fries always makes my night hard."

"I think she did a spectacular job. Best meal I've had in awhile."

Takahashi turned to All Might. "You don't have a stomach. How do you even eat that many burgers?"

"I have One For All and my muscle form consumes whatever I eat because-"

The two stopped when they heard a loud scream. A bright green light erupted from the beach and they saw Izuku screaming up a storm. Behind him, the last pile of garbage was stacked up high. The two stood shocked to see the last pile while Midoriya immediately started his combat exercises.

"Oh my...oh my _**GOODNESS!**_ " All Might shouted before going into his muscle form.

Clouds of sand were kicked up as Izuku continued to throw faster punches and kicks. He felt a tap on the shoulder and he turned around swinging his arm. It came in contact with Takahashi's arm and the sand blew up.

Izuku was sweating hard and Takahashi noticed he was shirtless. "I see you finished the beach. Congratulations."

"O-oh. Thank you." He panted. "Sorry. I've been trying to draw out my chakra for longer periods of time."

"Still I shouldn't be the only one congratulating you." A hearty laugh was heard as All Might dashed toward them. Takahashi was almost blown away when All Might picked up Midoriya. He was tossed into the air as All Might laughed extremely proud. Catching him, All Might gently put him on the ground.

"YOUNG MIDORIYA YOU HAVE DONE IT!" He laughed. "And with weeks to spare no less. Here take a look at this."

He held up his phone and Midoriya sees him during his first training session with All Might. "You've become from this string bean to a fine vessel for One For All."

Izuku looked at how skinny he was. Even with Takahashi's self defense before, Izuku was still skinny. He looked at himself now and it felt completely different than when his mom caught him flexing.

"Honestly I'm so lucky. To be gifted two powers from you and Takahashi. I feel like I don't earn this."

All Might laughed as Takahashi did a small chop on Izuku's head. "Stupid boy. What was all this training for?"

"Young Midoriya, there is a difference between gaining something through luck and gaining something through recognition! And you my boy have definitely have these amazing powers. Months of training and preparation and you exceeded both of our expectations. You should feel proud to know this."

Midoriya sniffled at the complement as he tried to wipe the tears.

"And now I may finally pass my power onto you!"

Takahashi raised an eyebrow as Midoriya's eyes widened in anticipation. All Might plucked a long strand of hair out and held it in front of Midoriya.

"Now eat this."

The grand atmosphere immediately died. Next thing Midoriya knew was Takahashi punching All Might in the gut to have him lean down before shaking him wildly by his collar. "DON'T SCREW WITH US! WHY DO SOMETHING SO DISGUSTING!"

"N-Now wait Takahashi-" All Might nervously. "This is needed I assure you. For the transfer to happen, Young Midoriya needs to consume some form of my DNA! This is the least gross option I swear it!"

Takahashi slowly stopped and looked at Izuku. He nodded and let go of All Might. "Fine, but let it be known that I find it disgusting."

All Might held out his strand of hair and Midoriya consumed it. Takahashi grimaced at the act while Midoriya finally swallowed. "So...how long does thing normally go before he can use One For All?"

"The hair must be digested before anything can happen."

The three sat down while Midoriya got up. "Um, Takahashi, while we wait can you tell us anything else about chakra or its origins?"

All Might looked at Takahashi curiously as well. The old man sighed before getting up. "I guess so. What do you want to know?"

"You told us these powers were taught not born with. How did you get these powers?"

Takahashi felt a small smile crawl on his face when he looked at Izuku. "I was born in a place that taught so. Isolated from the world, the people there were raised with chakra being one of their top priorities. It was part of my education."

All Might asked, "You said that you were one of the warriors left with any knowledge. If such a place existed, then where is it?"

Takahashi looked surprised at All Might before relaxing. "Nothing is meant to last forever. My home was destroyed by someone and with most people going alongside with it. It happened so long ago and I can count the number of survivors with one hand. Truth be told, I believe the others have long since passed."

"Someone destroyed your home?" Izuku asked with a bit of shock.

"...yes. I guess they're a villain by today's standards, but it doesn't matter. Whoever it was may be long dead. I thought this was asking about your new powers."

Midoriya rubbed the back of his head shyly. "Sorry, I was just curious."

"That's fine, but I'll reveal more later on." Takahashi eyed Midoriya weirdly before getting up. "Alright, All Might. I sensed something different about Izuku. I think One For All has been integrated."

"So soon?!" Midoriya

"You consume so much energy for your chakra. It wouldn't surprise me if One For All was processed like food. Now I think you need a proper target." Takahashi patted his chest. "I want you to hit me as hard as you can."

"..." Both All Might and Midoriya looked at him confused before Midoriya freaked out. "What?! No way! If I hit you 100% then I'll definitely hurt you, maybe worse kill you!"

"Um, Young Midoriya has a point. Facing this kind of power and using it on someone like you is not the best course of action we can take."

Takahashi's neutral face formed into a glare as his blue aura erupted in a menacing glow. "No. Izuku needs to know the consequences of using such power. Besides despite all I've seen from you, All Might, the power of One For All is something I must actually feel for myself."

'So scary!' The two thought.

"But why do you need to feel it? Shouldn't our training sessions be enough?"

Takahashi dropped the glare, but his aura remained. "I function very differently from most people All Might. I've spent numerous years facing people with power and I learn best in combat. Now Izuku, stand up and hit me with everything One For All can give you."

"Eh Young Midoriya, what do you think?"

Midoriya looked worriedly at Takahashi then to his hand. "Are you sure about this?"

"I can heal myself from any damage you do plus my chakra will act as a shield, minimizing any damaged received. Now will you strike?"

A moment passed before Izuku clenched his fist. "All Might, what do I have to do?"

All might was stunned by the question before looking at Takahashi. The old man stood ready as he'll ever be. He sighed and looked at Midoriya. "You'll need to visualize the power within your body. Imagine using the power and then you'll smash your opponent!"

Izuku nodded and turned to Takahashi. He closed his eyes and tried summoning that rush. All Might and Takahashi watched Midoriya before his arm began to glow. Pink lined his arms like veins as green lighting erupted from it.

Pushing himself off of the sand, Midoriya found himself in front of Takahashi with his fist clenched and arm outstretched.

"SMASH!" Takahashi crossed his arms before they made contact and a loud thunderous boom was heard. All Might watched Takahashi be sent far into the ocean. A huge gash in the ocean was left behind as Midoriya landed on his hand and knee. His right arm was blustered pink with blood coming out of his knuckles.

"Young Midoriya! Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine." He muttered with a shaky smile. Tears were already falling as All Might steadied him on his feet. "I-It doesn't hurt."

"It looks it does." The two looked up and saw Takahashi standing next to them. His arms were the colored red, but they looked steaming. They watched the bruises fade and the bits of blood become a red steam.

"Hm...not bad, not bad at all. Give it the right chance, add the right angle you could kill even the strongest opponents with it."

"K-kill?"

"I speaking on terms of power, you wouldn't kill. Now that is some true power. And you say it gets stronger with each host?"

"Um, yes. The power itself though has to cultivate through multiple experiences. Just imagine a sword being sharpened and passed on to another to make it sharper." Takahashi nodded at that explanation and turned to Izuku.

"Boy. I hope you realize the depths of your power now. Alongside chakra training we'll need to increase your durability with One For All. Are you ready?"

"Yes. Of course I am!" Izuku pushed himself off All Might and stood up shakily. He raised his left fist in declaration. All Might moved over next to Takahashi as the two looked at Izuku proudly. Then Izuku puked. All over Takahashi's shoes.

"Ah, what the hell?!"

"Oh I forgot how intense the feeling of using One For All the first time must be for him. I'll grab something!"

"Nevermind my shoes are ruined. God it's gonna be all day with this."

"Sorry. It won't happen ag-Oh no."

"AH! TURN AWAY! DEAR LORD IT'S EVERYWHERE!"

 _Two Weeks Later_

Midoriya left his apartment and breathed in the afternoon air. The last day of school finally ended and gave most students time to prepare for their entrance exams for the schools they wish to join.

Nothing interesting happened only that Bakugou seemed to finally get the last of his hateful glares out at Izuku for saving him months ago. Now he was back home and getting his afternoon workout of 150 pushup, situps, and an across town run. The train would take him back home.

"Izuku don't forget to drop off the mail in the mailbox before your run!" Inko shouted from inside.

"Yes mom! I'll see you later!" He held his paper tightly before jumping over the railing. He did a small front flip and landed on his feet. Izuku smiled at his progress as he dropped the mail off. "Alright now where shall my feet take me?"

He pulled out his phone and picked a song.

The beat of it was making his foot tap as he ran outside. Music during a run was one of the few things Izuku enjoyed having whether it be studying or training. He ran past several people as he was mouthing the lyrics to himself.

In all honesty he was letting everything fade into smudgy colors. He kept up his pace when he finally began to lose his breath. He focused back on his surroundings and found some of the grander houses around him.

' _Ooh let's try some of that sensory training.'_ Izuku focused. He closed his eyes and the world turned black. It was like that for a second before little fires began to appear in his vision each one with a light or dark gray circle in it. He walked a few paces while keeping his eyes closed before opening them again. Each flame he saw in the dark was now a person. Izuku did a little fist pump at that achievement. ' _Awesome! This ability is so going to help me when I train to become a hero!'_

"Hey isn't this?" He took out his phone and checked his position. Five miles from his home. He raised an eyebrow on when he looked up and saw a familiar house up ahead. Izuku pondered on that. "Momo does live here and I could…"

He coughed and realized how parched he was. Looking around, Izuku found a water fountain near on the better looking playgrounds. It was empty with the exception of a few boys. Ignoring them, Izuku jogged to the fountain and began drinking.

His presence alerted the other patrons.

"What's a runt like you doing at this place?" One of the snooty boys said. Izuku looked around confused.

"I was enjoying a run. In this public park." He responded. The group looked at each other before laughing arrogantly. Three boys and a girl. Each one with their school outfits Izuku glanced at the shirt pockets and saw a certain emblem. It was an image of a lion with two swords at his side.

"I think you should run off. Your disgusting appearance is ruining our little gathering and if you don't well we will gladly show you your place."

'Wait...they're from Actura Academy, the high class private school? Oh shit.' Unfortunately his staring was considered a defiance and led to one of the boys pushing him. He stumbled back before catching himself.

"Isn't that unnecessary?" A girl asked from the group.

"Not at all. He just needs to be reminded of his place." Izuku's passive look was still there, but his fists were clenched. Yet he relaxed them before any action could happen.

"Look fellas, I know what this is about. You have money and I have less money, if we all just need to come together and-" He was interrupted when one of them stepped up and pushed him again.

"That's right and I think you should take your motel cheap clothing out of here. It disgusts me."

Izuku felt a wave of anger around him. The girl noticed and back off. "You guys ruin everything."

"Whatever. Anyways what say you?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose before putting on a smile. "I think it's nice of you to compliment my clothes. The fact that you acknowledge their existence means you can look past your nose that's currently up your ass."

The boys stood still as they let the words sink in. "You filthy mutt!"

The leader threw a punch, but Midoriya dodged. He tried striking again and again, but Midoriya kept him at a distance. He raised his arm to catch it and push him back.

"Fucking hell. Who do you think you are?" One of the lackeys asked.

Izuku turned to him. "I'm just a guy on an nice weekday run. Though now I have to deal with-"

The leader made another lunge and by instinct Izuku punched him square in the nose. "AH YOU BASTARD!"

The calm look on Izuku's face was quickly replaced by panic. "Oh...I didn't mean to hit you that hard. I wasn't planning on doing that at all!"

"What the hell?" He noticed a big trickle of blood flowing down the bully's face.

"Do-Do you need some ice or a tissue? I can get that!"

"Oh you think you can put up the kindness card? No, no. Boys handle this. I need a moment." The guy walked to the side as the two lackeys looked at each other then to Izuku. Izuku raised his hands up, but the two lunged anyway.

He dodged and weaved each of their punches when he caught one of their elbows. ' _Huh, these guys are pretty slow. Especially compared to when I've been training Takahashi and All Might.'_

"Stop dodging!" Izuku just pushed the guys elbow and made him punch his friend. The second lackey went down and the first one turned to Izuku with hatred in his eyes. "You think you can mock us?!"

"I don't know. Honestly you guys are pretty good at doing it yourselves." He sidestepped the lackey and tripped him. His instincts flared up and he raised his arm to catch the leader's arm from doing a karate chop. "And there's no need for dirty tactics."

"Fuck it." The leader clenched his fist and it immediately turned to rock. Izuku felt the change in weight as he let go of the arm. "We'll just use our quirks."

"Wait, are you sure? We could get in serious trouble if we-"

"Don't worry. My father has plenty of connections to the police besides after we beat this guy, we'll make sure he'll never report to the police."

Izuku clenched his fists as he saw the other two shaped their arms into bats or crowbars. 'Shapeshifting. Not only that I guess they could mock similar properties of whatever they manifest.'

"Look guys I really don't want this to end in violence, but you're really making me want to punch you in the face. So how about we settle this over coffee?"

He dodged one strike. "Cards?"

He jumped over the second lackey. "Sports. Hero Sports are good!"

Izuku then ducked underneath the third strike and turned toward the leader. "Fine. Punching it is."

The three rich boys charged in while Midoriya held his hands up close. He blocked the first strike and countered with a cross to the left cheek. When he went down, Midoriya caught the second lackey's arm, swept him off his feet, and kicked him into the swings. The leader looked completely gobsmacked at the fight before clenching his teeth in pure rage.

"Bastard!" He charged and Izuku leaned out of the way before responding with a right hook. The guy fell to the ground hard as Izuku saw the two lackeys get up. The leader got up as well and was nursing his swollen cheek.

"Look guys, I'm pretty sure we don't need to do this anymore." However those guys looked beyond pissed. Izuku sighed and powered up. His green aura flared up and caught them by surprise.

"Izuku?" A voice behind him said. His aura broke as he turned around to see Momo.

"M-M-Momo?!"

Momo stood behind him with a shocked expression along with the girl from the group hiding behind her. Izuku's confidence immediately fell when he saw her.

"W-wait! I didn't-"

"Oh Yaoyorozu thank goodness you came here! This damn ruffian came into this park and immediately started beating us up. We should call the police since he was about to use his quirk on us!"

Izuku looked flabbergasted by the accusation and comically waved his arms. "Wait! Please I didn't attack these guys! I was only defending myself!"

Momo looked at the girl and sighed. "I know what this is about. Suki get Yuya and Tate out of here and help them with their injuries. I need to talk to Akira."

She helped the two lackey off the playground and chided them for trying to pick a fight. Akira looked surprised before turning to Momo. "Oh sweetie I would love to, but th-"

Momo crossed her arms and shot a harsh glare. Akira froze while Izuku felt a chill through his spine. ' _Such a disappointing glare! Even I feel bad!'_

"Suki told me what you were doing. And frankly I dislike it even more that you did such a thing to my friend."

"FRIEND?!" His eyes darted back from Izuku to Momo. He began sputtering out garbled words that it almost buried him. Momo walked over to Izuku examined him.

"He didn't hurt you?" She was looking over his injuries and Izuku felt heat crawl up his cheeks.

"N-no." He replied as he felt her onyx eyes scanning every bit of his face.

She sighed happily and turned to Akira. "I got your letter today and you should already know my answer."

Momo reached and grabbed Izuku's hand before leading him away. "Come on. I'll take you somewhere else."

Akira stood completely shocked when his rage came back and directed itself right toward Izuku. "YOU RUINED IT!"

Akira charged right at Izuku, who turned around with his eyes ready when a staff appeared and hit Akira in the head. A large bump appeared on his head as Momo held her arm out and a metal staff appeared in her hand. Izuku's shined when he saw her quirk and looked at the staff in pure awe.

"Enough. Go home Akira." The bully got up and whimpered away. Momo sighed and took Izuku away.

The two walked a good distance away. Momo looked like she was nursing a headache while Izuku was blushing mad. She didn't realize that she was still holding his hand. She turned to him with a small smile.

"I was going to ask if you were alright, but you seem to handle yourself just fine." She said. He didn't respond right away and she looked confused before looking down at her hand. Her face immediately blushed and she let go of his hand. "Oh my bad! I didn't know I was still holding onto you know."

Momo laughed awkwardly as Izuku tried to look calm about it. "It's fine."

"S-So what're you doing here, Izuku?" Momo asked as she turned away. Midoriya rolled his wrist before looking at her.

"I was on a run. I thought it'd be nice to see how far I could go and ended up there. It wasn't so bad."

"You're right. Akira and his goons act all tough, but they only have any real power when it comes to threatening people with their parent's wealth."

Izuku rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess, but their quirks weren't so bad. Being able to mimic other properties and shape shift your body parts are very useful."

Momo sighed. "If only they'd use it for the betterment of others." She looked at Izuku. "Hey do you mind if I take you near a cafe? Get a drink?"

"Sure." Izuku smiled.

Across Town

Takahashi sat in his training room meditating. He was floating off the ground with his blue aura surrounding him. His face kept a calm neutral face when he opened them. Two portal opened up and he jumped away.

Three blue balls each fired out of the portals and he dodged each one of them. Holding out his hand, he fired six shots. Each one hit their mark and lit up the room. Takahashi landed on the ground before seeing another portal open above him.

A blue beam fired down and Takahashi crossed his arms. He broke the X it formed and an energy shield popped out. An explosion rocked everything and smoke filled the room. Takahashi was kneeling at that point before getting up and dusting off his shoulders.

"Trial 37 complete." He mumbled to himself. Cracking his neck, he grabbed a towel and wiped some of the grime and sweat. "Izuku should be able to handle this."

Walking out the room, Takahashi walked to his study. Closing the door, he moved over to his desk and pressed a button at the bottom of his desk. The door broke open and hissed at the stale air leaving. He travelled down the stairs and there stood a case of scrolls. Each column carrying a strange symbol.

He pulled two scrolls out from two different columns. Opening it he could read the ancient language written on it. At the end of each scroll were different pictures. One had a figure have chakra around his hand and applying that to a wound. The second figure was blowing fire out his mouth.

"Healing hands seem most useful, but his combat potential needs to be explored more."

He sighed and put the scrolls away. Pulling out his phone, he got a text from Izuku labeled "Costume Sketch".

Opening it, Takahashi tried his best not to facepalm at the design. He replied to the text and put it away. Grabbing a pen and pad, Takahashi sat down and began to sketch.

With Izuku, he was sitting nervously outside one of the bigger restaurants in the city district. Momo had taken him there as compensation and the two just ordered their food.

Izuku felt his phone vibrate and quickly glanced at it. "Aw man."

"Something the matter?" Izuku looked up to see Momo enjoying her drink as Midoriya was drinking one of the healthier smoothies the restaurant.

"It's nothing. I sent my costume design to be looked at by a friend before I take the exam."

"Hm so you seem confident that you'll pass." Momo said.

"Pretty confident, but I don't really what to know what happens if I fail. Maybe something in support?" He said.

Momo giggled at the idea. "I'm sure you'll get in. If that little performance you did with Akira was any indication, it's that you can handle whatever U.A. throws at you!"

"Heh yeah. Hey thanks buying the drinks. Though I don't know if-"

"Nonsense. I want to do this. Akira has been one of those crush obsessed boys. He kept bullying any boy I met before or was just being a bully in general. I think him calling me today was his last attempt to gain my favor before I head to U.A."

Izuku perked up. "Oh yeah you got through on recommendations. Which I can totally see!"

Momo looked surprised to see the sparks behind his eyes. In the back of her mind, there was a little voice gnawing at her luck at attaining such a thing.

"You managed to create a staff like that in seconds! And I'm guessing with your quirk requires some form of compensation."

"Body fats and the molecular structure of whatever item I want to craft. I'm sure I told you this."

Izuku's eyes seemed even brighter. "You're right! I guess it's been awhile that I seemed to have forgot. Not really like me though. But man no wonder you got in! Handling such complex structures in your mind must be-"

He was stopped when a waiter cleared his throat. Momo finally managed to look away from the excited Izuku to see two large plates of food being placed in front of them. One plate had a large burger with a side of fries and a cup of fruit. The other was a steak with a side order of shrimp and salad.

"Mm! This restaurant has been famous for bringing all an authentic taste to their american dishes. Plus with using my quirk and not eating that much for lunch, I'm famished." Momo said as she bit into her burger. Izuku couldn't help, but chow down on his steak which was cooked perfectly. It almost melted in his mouth.

"This amazing. Thanks for bringing Momo." He swallowed and reached into his wallet.

"What're you doing?"

"Oh well I thought I could get some money ready for when the bill comes."

Momo smiled at the gesture before signalling him to put it down. "There's no need. I already paid."

Izuku looked up surprised before deflating. His mother always to foot the bill and Takahashi's been giving him some extra money for groceries. Even if she was rich, he wanted to do something.

"It's fine Izuku. We're friends after all."

"Yeah I guess so."

The two shared a glance before returning to their food. She looked up one time to see a few butterflies flying around before a yellow one fluttered over near them and landed on Izuku's head. She giggled at the cute image and got him to stop eating for a second, confused on why she was laughing.

"You know if I make you laugh before telling a joke, I must be really good or really stupid."

"It's neither. You just looked adorable." She commented. Red filled his cheeks before he was imitating a tomato. Momo looked on with a smaller blush on her face at seeing him react to that. "You can crack jokes against possibly dangerous people, but be brought down by a compliment?"

"W-well I don't...wait how did you know I cracked jokes?"

Momo took a sip of her drink before setting it down. "Truthfully I arrived a little bit earlier with that group's girl. I was going to stop immediately, but I heard you trying to talk them down. I stopped to see if it would happen. It didn't, but I found myself quite amused by your attitude and quips during the fight."

Midoriya rubbed his head bashfully. "Y-yeah. I-I mean I had someone recommended me to look up an American comic book hero that used quips in a fight. It wasn't his main ability, but I could see that. Also I looked a few videos on the hero Ms. Joke. I think her style of humor and quick wit is something I want to use."

"Is there a reason why? Quips and jokes are good, but your quirk doesn't fit that."

Momo say Midoriya clench his fist slightly. "I...My dream and goal in the future is to be like All Might. A hero who smiles brightly and brings hope to others. Those jokes can at least have me smiling and possibly bring joy to others."

She nodded at the explanation before pondering his goal. It was very noble. She saw the sun rise a bit higher as Izuku seemed to smile brightly alongside with it. She quickly looked down at her food as Izuku's bright nature was almost glowing. Like before…

Eventually they paid for their food with Midoriya still grumbling on not being able to pay, but Momo reassuring him that he'll get the next one if they ever do this again. When they continued walking, Momo realized something. "Izuku."

"Yes Momo?"

She looked very curious. "You told me back then that you used your quirk as a strength augmentation one despite the emitter type it is. Why is that?"

Izuku blinked. "Oh...well the people who helped me train with my quirk realized how strong I could get if I focused it internally. Maybe I can show you. It's easier to do that then explain."

They walked a little off the path and into a more secluded area. Momo felt initially wary of the place, but reminded herself that Izuku was there with her. He turned to see an abandoned construction beam. It was incredibly long and Momo could calculate the weight of it to over a few tons.

"Here's a good piece for the demonstration." He put his hands on it and tried pulling it up. She couldn't help, but watch his biceps strain to lift the metal up. With a bright blush she turned away again before seeing Izuku barely lifting it up

She gasped. "This is you using without your quirk? My God you must be able to bench just under a ton!"

He dropped the beam with a loud thud and caused her to flinch. He panted hard and stretched his arms. "Yup. I had to do some intense weight training in order to push my limits with my quirk. Now watch this."

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Momo looked on and felt the air slightly shift around them. His hair moved softly and a few pebbles began to shake as Midoriya grunted and a green flame enveloped him. Opening his eyes, Momo could see his eyes now sparkling with power.

He approached the beam and began to lift. The beam came off the ground much faster and Izuku show little strain. He held it above his head and Momo nodded at the feat. He dropped it and his aura faded away.

"Yeah. So in all honesty, my body can be pushed even more if I focus all my energy internally than externally." He explained.

"That was certainly amazing Midoriya!" Momo said. "It's very useful."

Midoriya noted how she brushed her bang to the side and felt blood rushing up. "Yeah well neither of us are slouches! So we'll both be great heroes!"

His phone vibrated again and Midoriya looked at the screen.

 _-Your mother told me you went on a run. Well I need you to come back. I've texted All Might and he says we need to go back to the beach to practice more of your new ability.-_

Izuku sighed. "I'm sorry to cut off this day short Momo, but I just got a text. I'm need back home."

"Oh." Momo felt a slight wave of disappointment before shaking her head. "That's fine, but one more thing before you go."

She held out her phone and opened her contacts. "I made the mistake of not asking for your number last time. I wish to rectify that."

He blinked again before nodding, but on the inside…

' _AAAAAAAAAAAHHH! A GIRL'S ASKING FOR MY NUMBER!'_

Izuku punched in his number and handed it off. She smiled brightly at the number before typing something. Midoriya heard a ring and turned to see Momo sending a hello with a heart. He blushed profusely and started stuttering wildly on both leaving and thanking her for the day as Momo thought one thing.

' _Cute and interesting.'_


	8. Chapter 8

"Come on Young Midoriya. One punch at a time." All Might cheered on as he held his pads in front for Midoriya to punch. Today was his training day on boxing. If Takahashi was teaching him eastern martial arts then All Might was teaching western combat. This included wrestling. Midoriya and him were moving around on a flat rock on the beach. Takahashi stood on the sides watching them.

Izuku was pushing himself hard as he tried to keep his jabs coming as fast as they could. No chakra or One for All was being used as Takahashi explained. "If we keep training with your powers on then your base form won't grow as fast. These are meant to enhance your body not be it."

"He's right. Strength is only as good as the foundation it's laid upon." All Might chimes in before blocking another punch. Midoriya clenched his teeth and kept going. "When facing a villain in combat you need to make sure every punch connects."

This carried on until Midoriya was drinking water. All Might sat next to him and pulled out his phone. "Young Midoriya, who is this?"

"That's...me." He answered.

"Correct and throughout my extensive career of being a hero I find this person to be your greatest challenge. Everyone you fight will always in some way be a reflection of yourself. This is especially true in life and as a hero. Remember this." All Might lectured.

Midoriya looked at himself before nodding. Takahashi put his hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Good lesson All Might. Now Izuku, are you ready to start again?"

"Yes!" His two mentors shared a smile as Midoriya got up and loosened up his arms.

 _Three Days Later_

The air was cool as Midoriya and Takahashi were walking down the road together. It was finally the day for them to go to U.A.

"So...this is really happening." He said.

"Yes it is." Takahashi paused. "I've bought two tubs of ice cream. Vanilla Bean for losing and Confetti flavor for passing."

Izuku playfully shoved the old man as they shared a laugh. He enjoyed the small moment before turning to his mentor. "But I mean what if I can't live up to both of your expectations?"

Takahashi shot him a small smile. "Then you've utterly let down the world and burden of the greatest teacher you know."

The boy huffed at the sly tone. "Yeah I wouldn't want to let All Might down."

Takahashi looked offended for a second, but calmed himself a second later. "Don't worry you won't let either of us down. The training you endured would put most pros down for the count besides you wouldn't want to let down that girl."

Steam erupted from Izuku's ears as he tried sputtering an excuse but found none. "What?! How did you find out about Momo!"

"You." Izuku blinked before covering his face embarrassed. Takahashi patted him on the shoulder while chuckling. "Well you seemed to be on cloud nine when I called over for training earlier this week plus you were on that phone more than usual."

The two walked on until they saw the U.A building in sight. It was closed to students, but Takahashi needed to go in as a new staff member. He ruffled Izuku's hair and ran in. Midoriya waved good bye as sat on the bench.

A few hours later, the first few students were entering in. Izuku saw one with rigid posture arrive just as gate opened. Taking in a deep breath, Midoriya trained his eyes on the school.

"Today is day of the U.A exam." Midoriya said to himself as he stood in front of the building. "I'll be fine in the written part that's for sure, but the practical is the one that will be the toughest. But I've trained hard and got the best-"

"Shut the fuck up Deku." A harsh voice cut in. Midoriya felt a chill run up his spine as he turned to see Bakugou walking towards him. The blonde had his hands in his pocket as he glared a deep hole into Midoriya's head.

"Oh good morning Kaachan! How are you?"

"Shut up. Don't talk to me. Don't look at me. Don't even breathe near me." He bumped Midoriya hard and kept walking. "Stupid bastard."

He watched Bakugou walk into the building before sighing. Ever since the sludge villain, Bakugou went from antagonizing the boy everyday to not even acknowledging his existence. This work out in some ways as it allowed Midoriya to focus more on his training, but that also meant that if Bakugou did acknowledge him then it was to give him the coldest threats he could muster.

Before he could contemplate even more his pocket vibrated and Izuku glanced down to see that Momo sent a text.

 _M: Good luck at your exam Izuku! I'm rooting for you!_

Red crawled up his cheeks, but it wasn't out of embarrassment. Since he wanted to focus on studying, the two haven't gotten a chance as the last few days crunching down on any leftover studying or training. Izuku quickly typed a thanks before his hands became to shaky. His cheeks were really warm with happiness. He looked back up at the U.A sign and tried pumping himself up.

"Yeah. I trained and I'm ready!" He took one step and tripped on his feet. ' _Sometimes things in life were not meant to be. We can't fight nature, we can't fight change, we can't fight gravity...huh though now I've been falling for a long time.'_

He looked to see the ground wasn't rushing up to meet him. In fact he felt incredibly light. "Oh sorry about that. Here."

Izuku turned to see a girl standing behind him and pressed her fingers together. "And release."

He landed on his feet and turned to the girl. "Hey thanks!"

"You're welcome. Well I'll see you inside." She gave him a bright smile and walked into the building. Izuku felt his heart beat faster upon seeing that smile, but put it down. He looked up at the building himself before entering.

' _I need to get used to girls.'_

Grabbing his ticket, Midoriya sat with all the others as the hero Present Mic was giving out the details. With each bit of info, Midoriya took note.

"ALL RIGHT IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS?!" He asked the crowd. One student raised his hand up and stood up when the spotlight shined on him.

"Yes, I would like to question on this pamphlet on the number of villain points for each enemy. There is a zero on the biggest one and I was wondering if U.A had made a shameful mistake."

Midoriya and everyone else sweatdropped at the teen. "Geez he's very astute."

"And another thing." He turned to Izuku with a sharp look. "You have been mumbling during this entire presentation! If you are not respectfully to your peers or teachers then you shouldn't be here."

Normally that would sting, but Izuku just a felt a massive wave of disappointment hit him on that. He put his head down and Bakugou, who was watching this from a distance, smiled at the call out.

"Now let's not get ahead of ourselves! There was no misprint. This robot here is a zero pointer. There's no need for anyone to truly take this thing down, but it will just serve to show the scale of what you will face in U.A!"

The teen, satisfied with the answer, bowed his head and sat back down. Midoriya still kept his head covered even when Present Mic called for a Plus Ultra.

After the presentation, the students went into the locker room's to change.

Izuku changed into his jogging suit in the locker room before pulling out a package from his backpack. There was a little note attached to the package. It was from Takahashi.

 _-A little gift for when you begin your test. Don't worry it's not a cheat. It's a decoration.-_

He opened the package and found cream colored boxing wraps. Izuku smiled as he began to wrap his arms.

After changing, Izuku tightened the wraps one last time as he walked with the other students. Looking around, he saw the same girl who stopped his fall earlier.

' _Oh there's that girl. Maybe I should go wish her good luck.'_

"Excuse me!" Izuku turned around to see a tall teen walk towards him. "You are the boy who couldn't stop mumbling. Are you attempting to ruin her chance?"

Midoriya felt his sweat drop at the thing, but the teen's glare was really looking into the depths of his soul. It was really getting to him. ' _Okay, okay Izuku calm down. Maybe you can use some of that banter you've been practicing. Try it out here!'_

"Nah, I'm more like attempting to ruin her failure by wishing her better!" Midoriya replied. The glasses teen just stared at him before turning away. Midoriya fell comically depressed as everyone got ready. "Damn it. It was easier making jokes with those rich pricks earlier this week. Unlike them this one's actually intimidating."

The gates opened and Izuku immediately ran to action. He passed some of the other students before seeing some robots around the corner. He grinned as green lightning sparked within his body.

" _Is there a problem?" Takahashi asked as Midoriya was nursing his bruised arm._

" _Yeah there is! One For All is amazingly powerful, but I can't use it properly without straining and at worse breaking my arm. It's definitely not wise to use this and my chakra without mastering either side first."_

 _Takahashi nodded. "I know. I've been one the healing said arm all week. The best you've done so far is transferring the power to your fingers plus you're right on the dangers of stacking your powers."_

 _Midoriya flexed his fingers before clenching his fist. "All Might told me an image of One For All as glass of water with the water barely overflowing the glass. I just don't get how he does it. When he uses One For All I could see his level of control."_

" _Yes, it is quite the wonder. I mean his body does puff up every single time he uses it. I wonder how he does it though? That much muscle mass holding all that power yet he turns into a skinny man afterwards." Takahashi said aside while washing a few rags._

 _A moment passed before Midoriya could've swore glass broke. "Holy crap. Holy crap!"_

" _What? Do you think his muscles result in using One For All?"_

 _Midoriya got back up and clenched his fists. "I was looking at it wrong. One For All can be used like my chakra! Whenever I use my aura, the power is spread out through my body. All Might does the same thing otherwise he would only be puffing up only part of his body if he went with my method!"_

 _Takahashi raised an eyebrow as Midoriya gritted his teeth. A new pressure was building up and he could see Izuku's veins turn bright pink. Green lighting arched around him as Midoriya stood proudly. His curiosity was replaced with intrigue._

" _Huh. I guess you found the answer. What do you call this one?" Midoriya closed his eyes to think before opening them up with new determination._

' _One For All: Full Cowling! Current 5%!'_ Midoriya thought as he ran to the robots. He counted the points in his head as the bodies of the robots began dropping.

"Excuse me, I'll need this!" He hopped on one robot and turned its turret to the other robots. Missiles fired out and destroyed the robots while Izuku chuckled. "Friendly fire's on!"

After clearing the area, Midoriya tore off the robot's weapon and slammed his hand in its place. Pulling out the wires, he did a backflip and landed perfectly.

"Ten points should be added for that landing. A thing of beauty!" He said. The next he knew was that his cheek was in pain along with his side as another robot landed a solid hit that sent him into the wall. He slid to the floor and spat some blood out. "Ok, minus five points for overconfidence."

"Correct!" The glasses teen said as he kicked the robot away. "A much deserved consequence."

"No need to rub it in." Midoriya mumbled before turning to the other robots. He grinned and leapt back into the fray. The metal bent easily to his fists as Midoriya hopped from robot to robot destroying each one.

He aimed at a robot with a finger gun and fired a precise shot. The robot exploded and Midoriya felt extremely proud. He turned to the others and began firing on the others.

 _In the Examination Room_

All Might and the others were watching. "Well we're getting close to the end of the exam and there are some good candidates."

"Definitely. Especially that green kid. He looks particularly fired up." A screen zoomed in on Midoriya as he stood amongst a group of robots. He was grinning brightly as he tore right through another robot. "Impressive quirk as well."

All Might kept his eyes trained on Midoriya before feeling a hand on his shoulder. "You shouldn't worry too much."

He turned to see Takahashi standing there in his new U.A. outfit. He had a small medical mask hanging around his neck with a fitting nurse garb. It was all wrapped up in a white coat. Also he wore a pair of black framed glasses.

"Don't you look professional."

"Thanks. Recovery girl handed it to me before I got to work." The two turned back to the screen and saw Principal Nezu getting up.

"Ah Takahashi, glad to have you join us. How is your first day going?"

"It's going fine. Thank you again for letting me join you."

Nezu nodded. "Well All Might did recommend you and I felt we do need another healer in our school. Especially with how many students overexert themselves for these exams."

The animal scurried over to a button. "Now let's end this exam with a bang."

Takahashi felt a tap on his shoulder and saw Recovery Girl gesturing him to the door. "Alright Nurse Taka let's get ready."

"Please don't call me that."

"Mmm, no."

 _In The Practical Exam Arena_

The ground shook and Midoriya stopped breaking robots to look up. His eyes widened to an absurd degree as a gigantic robot slowly rose up from the ground. People around him immediately ran off while his legs were stuck in place.

"Holy shit!" He screamed. He turned his back to run when he heard a scream. His eyes moved to the source and saw the same girl pinned underneath some rubble. The world went silent around him as he felt his legs return control.

Izuku ran past everyone towards the brown-haired girl when the zero-pointer begins to put down its foot. The girl closed her eyes in some vain attempt before hearing a large groan of metal. She opened her eyes to seeing Midoriya holding back the weight of the zero pointer. His eyes seemed to brighten up when his aura erupted.

The metal foot was pushed back and Midoriya grabbed the girl and jumped back. The two landed a good distance away when Midoriya gently put her down. "Stay here, I'll take care of this scrap heap."

"Wait, how?!" She wondered before Midoriya powered up his right arm with One For All. Pink veins wrapped around his arm while green lightning crackled over his palm. It all gathered around a single point to where it slowly grew.

' _My current level won't even scratch it, but if One For All can increase my physical strength then it should work on my ranged attacks! Never used them at the same time considering what it'd do to my body, but one blast should be enough.'_ He remembered how Takahashi described it.

' _Focus. Make the power converge on point. Contain the shape and when you finally have it, aim and fire!' Takahashi's voice echoed._

"One For All." He whispered at first. The world seemed to fall silent and still as he posed.

"DEVASTATION BEAM!" Midoriya screamed as he thrusted his hand out and a large green beam fired. The zero pointer put its hand out to block it, but it bore through and drilled right through.

Everyone looked in awe as the zero pointer was lifted off the ground and flew into the ceiling. A bright explosion covered the arena as Midoriya still screamed his heart. The beam finally died down and Izuku stood with his half his shirt tore apart. The two stood still before a shadow overcasted them.

Midoriya's pupils shrunk as piece of metal from the zero pointer was falling down. Before he could even think of moving, a large weight hit him and he saw the girl tackle him out of the way. They rolled around as that piece of metal slammed hard into the concrete. She was on top of him panting before getting off.

Midoriya slowly got to his feet and with shaky legs stood up. He looked at the level of destruction and turned back to the girl. "Hey…"

"H-hey?" She replied. Looking at his arm, she gasped to see the blood and purple skin.

"Don't worry about this." He gestured at his arm. "I handled worse so don't worry about meeee."

As he spoke, his knees gave out and sent him falling. His face didn't hit the concrete as he soon realized that the girl grabbed onto his ankle.

"Thank you." He said groggy. She gently pressed him on the ground. "Uh...I don't know your-"

"Ochako Uraraka." She said. He nodded and slowly let himself pass out. The students there were in awe about what they just saw. They didn't even hear Present Mic proclaim the test ending. "You can call me O-Ochako."

"Are you sure?" He was trying to ignore the pain, but his energy was waning.

Ochako tried to seem more comforting when she looked down to his exposed pec. She turned bright red. "S-Saving my life gets you a pass."

The glasses teen looked at them before looking to the ground in shame. ' _Someone was in trouble and I just...ran? What kind of hero does that?'_

He didn't mope for long as the student body behind him broke through. "Excuse me."

Takahashi was moving passed them and patted the distraught teen on the back to be moved away. He approached Ochako and Izuku. "Well, well, well. Recovery Girl, what should I do?"

Recovery Girl huffed. "I'll handle the first part. Follow it up with a second round of your healing hands then wrap it up to cover the fresh skin."

She puckered her lips and kissed his arm. A sick twisting sound was heard as the bones returned to their place. The skin lightened up slightly. She pulled back and reached into her bag.

"Considering how much energy was put to end the zero pointer, it's best you handle the majority of his healing." Takahashi picked up Izuku's arm and his hands glowed blue. The skin returned to a healthy pink before being wrapped up. He nudged Izuku who's eyes slowly opened.

"Aw my head...hey I can feel my arm!" He shot up immediately to the shock of the students. Ochako was especially seemed surprised when she witnessed him getting up and jumping like nothing ever happened to him.

Recovery Girl nodded. "It's nice to finally have a partner that can compliment my draining abilities."

Takahashi smiled. "Well the only one who loses stamina is me in this scenario. Now boy, how are you feeling?"

Izuku looked at Takahashi surprised before flexing his arm. The pain was all but a faded memory. "I feel great!"

"Excellent. Here's some gummy bears to recover for being a good patient." Recovery Girl commented. Ochako stood still as Midoriya ate them fast and jumped to his feet. He was up and acting as if he didn't just break his arm.

"And you young lady?" Takahashi asked. She looked up and gestured quickly at her ankle. Recovery Girl took care of that. They turned and saw Takahashi approach Izuku.

"Now young man that was incredibly dangerous. Try to avoid more incidents like that."

The two almost shared a conversation through their eyes as Izuku bowed respectfully. "I apologize. I just saw Ur-Ochako in danger and seeing something, I thought I needed to go all out."

Takahashi nodded seriously before turning his back away from him. "We still have other students to heal. If you still have a problem afterwards, we'll meet at the nurses office."

With that he left with Recovery girl dealing with Ochako's other injuries. Ochako wanted to approach Izuku but the boy was already walking off.

"W-wait!" He stopped and turned to Ochako. "What's your name?"

She seemed really shy for some reason asking that and that made her cheeks gain a deep blush. Midoriya took note of it, but tried keeping himself from blushing at the cute face. "I'm Izuku Midoriya."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The house of the Midoriya's was calm after the U.A entrance exams finally concluded.

"Now add a bit more potatoes this time." Takahashi noted. Inko rolled her eyes and cut a few more potatoes to good chunks. The two were making dinner together as Izuku was on his phone, playing a game.

He looked up from his phone and saw Takahashi shaking his head no. After breaking his arm and exhausting him of his current supply of energy, Takahashi has personally grounded Izuku from doing any strenuous activity that might act up his recovering body.

"Mom, do you want me to do a grocery run?"

She looked up with a knowing smirk. "What, so you can try jumping rooftop to rooftop like you did last week?"

Her son froze before answering. "I don't-what that never happened."

"So the neighbors, who know both us, lied to me about seeing someone with messy green hair and freckles falling into their backyard."

"In my defense, the people next to them have a habit of watering their plants on the roof a little too much." She gave him a look. "Fine, I'll stay."

Takahashi chuckles as he opened the lid and slid the potatoes down into the water. "Or maybe you just need an excuse to go see someone...a girl perhaps?"

Glass could be heard shattered as Inko looked up at her son. Izuku swallowed nervously and turned away before his mom was right on top of him. The peaceful atmosphere was broken up by Inko's constant questions. Takahashi held in a laugh as he went back to chopping up more vegetables.

"Mom!"

"Who is she? Are you meeting her somewhere? Is there a chance!" She kept pushing him until Izuku finally threw in the towel.

"She's a friend mom! Her name's Momo and...I kind of wanted to meet her today to...see our U.A letters. Moreso me as she got in by recommendations." He looked up and saw Takahashi surprised. "Why are you looking surprised?!"

"Momo? I actually thought it was that other girl. The one you saved at the U.A exams. Her name was...man it escapes me."

"Ochako Uraraka." Izuku answered before clamping his mouth shut.

His mom looked up with a sly look on her face. "Oh my. Izuku you seem to be quite the ladies man. I knew you would get something like this today. So today, instead of meeting your friend for your letter reading, you can have it here. And we'll provide dinner as well. Text her."

"Mom!" He exclaimed, but he shivered when her eyes narrowed despite her smile still there.

"Please text her. Besides it's going to rain. You wouldn't want your friend to be out in the rain when she can have a hot meal here." Takahashi felt a shiver down his spine as Izuku quickly texted Momo the question and location if she agrees. Inko and Izuku sat on the couch waiting for it while Takahashi was stirring the pot.

His phone dinged and it was a yes. Inko clapped her hands once and sighed. "Oh my it'll be so great to meet a friend of yours Izuku. Don't worry, Takahashi and I won't embarrass you."

Izuku was already red in the face as he got up. "I'm gonna take a shower!"

Leaving, Inko sighed and got back up. She looked up at Takahashi and saw him just staring at her. "What?"

"We're not gonna embarrass him."

"Not intentionally." The two shared a laugh as she joined him back in the kitchen. "Ah the house feels very different these past few months. Izuku's been working hard to become a hero and now has started making friends. If only Hisashi were here to see this."

Takahashi chopped down harder on one of the carrots, surprising Inko before she rubbed her forehead. "Oh God not again."

There was an awkward silence as Takahashi slowly turned to Inko. "I'm not saying anything."

Takahashi's response made her snort. "Yes you were. I shouldn't have said anything. You're just going to say-"

"How that man has been missing for quite awhile with the exception of a letter or two every six months." Takahashi grunted. "You think with his son trying out for the top hero school in the country, there would be some sort increase in contact."

She clenched her fists. "He has his reasons. He's not completely out of lives, we still get his checks every two weeks and he still contacts."

"Inko, he may do that but it shouldn't compare to being here." Takahashi said before thinking, 'Toshinori has been doing a better job and we just met ten months ago.'

"...are you're fathering me again?" There was another awkward pause as the two looked at each other. Takahashi turned back to the veggies and continued to cut. Inko gave an exasperated sigh as the old man tried whistling a tune. "Oh my God you are fathering me again!"

"I do not!" Takahashi exclaimed.

"Yes you are! Every single time we end up having an argument, you take try to position yourself like you're my father! You lecture me like a child!"

"I do not. And I don't respect that tone you're giving me young lady." Inko smacked him in the arm as the two laughed. "Ok so what if I am? I've spent the past eleven years around you guys. You two are basically family to me."

Inko smiled at the comment before hearing a knock. Izuku and Takahashi both sensed out the presence and it wasn't one Takahashi was familiar with. He turned and saw Izuku about to sprint to the door, but Inko had her own sixth sense to run to the door before her son.

"Grab him! I want to greet her myself!" Takahashi grinned and caught Izuku mid-jump. They tumbled to the ground and almost knocked a few things over.

"No! Mom wait! Get off me!"

Izuku struggled as Takahashi put him in a full nelson. The boy made some weird noise in the back of his throat before the door opened. He stopped struggling when he heard two female voices talking.

"Oh my you must be son's friend."

"Yes, greetings Ms. Midoriya. I'm Momo Yaoyorozu. I received a text from Izuku that I would…" She trailed off as her eyes looked inside the house to see Izuku looking at her in abject horror as Takahashi still hasn't let him go. "Hello Izuku."

"Hi Momo." He replied with a depressed tone. Takahashi let him go and snickered at him. "Yeah this is my...grandpa, Takahashi."

Takahashi smoothed his hair before greeting the girl. "Nice to meet you Yaoyorozu, I've heard about from Izuku. I think he was about right describing you."

"Eh?! He...talks about me?" Takahashi grinned even more slyly at the red face she was giving. Izuku ran up to her and got in front of Takahashi.

"My grandpa says the darndest things! Doesn't he?" He turned and saw Takahashi raise his hands in mock surrender. "You have your letter?"

"I do-whoa!" Izuku held her hand and led her away to his room with a bright red face when he saw his mother holding a camera.

"Just follow me!"

The door shut quickly as Takahashi and Inko looked at each other. The old man sighed as he held up Izuku's letter and counted down with his fingers. On the last finger the door opened suddenly as Izuku power walked back in, took the letter, and closed his door.

"She's pretty." Inko said.

"She likes him." Takahashi followed through.

They looked at each other, sighed and said, "Young love."

Momo was certainly trying her best not to freak about what just happened as she finally settled down and looked around. Decorated with All Might would be a light term to describe Izuku's room. It was basically a shrine to the number one hero and it was a very impressive collection to take in.

She giggled at the sight before turning and seeing Midoriya, drained of all color, crouched in the corner of his room with depression lines over his head. "I...should've cleaned up and warned you about them."

"It's fine Izuku. Your mother and your grandfather seem fine. Besides it looked like you were the only one genuinely worried." Izuku slowly turned his head at her with a strained expression before realizing something else.

'THERE'S A GIRL IN MY ROOM!' He got up and bowed awkwardly. "I-I-I hope this place isn't too horrible for the all that likings of you and future endev-oh God is my tongue working?!"

Momo covered her mouth but was spitting up in laughter at the display. Izuku was still red, but he smiled somewhat to see she wasn't overly bearing on the contents of his room. She finally got control and held up her letter.

"Shall we start with mine or yours?"

"Yours. This one is a guaranteed win in your book, so we'll read that first." The two friends moved to his desk and opened it. Momo flipped the envelope and a small metal disk dropped on the table.

They looked at it confused before a projection showed itself. The two gasped in surprise as All Might appeared.

-Greetings, Momo Yaoyorozu! It is All Might and I am here to wish congratulations on entering U.A high school through recommendations! Throughout the years U.A has always been keeping an eye out for new heroes and you are one of the very few who have qualified for such honor.

You're intelligence, quirk, and grades have shown that you are an exceptional student and one we want to help grow into becoming a great hero! Welcome to your hero academia!-

The screen turned off as they two looked at each other before Momo saw Izuku slowly raising his hand up for a high five. She looked bashful at the gesture, but followed through with a light tap of her palm against his.

"Oh come on Momo, you gotta give me a better high five than that. Especially with that type of news. That was like a baby's first attempt to even think about a high five on a lazy day." She looked at him confused, but smiled as she rolled her eyes. He kept his hand up when she smacked it harder this time. "Now that's a high five!"

The two laughed for a while before Izuku looked down on his. Despite his confidence on getting in, the letter weighed almost a ton in his hand. Momo glanced at the letter and saw a small bit of sweat on his forehead from looking at it.

She carefully grab the letter out of his hand and placed it on the desk. "Ready?"

Izuku clenched and unclenched his fists hard for a few seconds before turning toward her. A weak smile was struggling to be lifted. "Ye-Yeah. I'm ready. We...have two tubs of ice cream. One if I pass or fail."

He grabbed the letter and opened it. The two saw a similar disk fall down and project the next screen.

-Greetings Young Izuku Midoriya! I am here to deliver your test results during the U.A entrance exam!-

Momo saw Midoriya breathing a little hard as All Might had a chart projecting his score. She reached over and put her hand over his balled fist. He didn't seem to register the gesture as the numbers kept swirling to a solid...30.

-Thirty points! An average score that barely qualifies for the hero course.-

Izuku almost choked on his spit when he said that. His eyes seem to have lost color and Momo could feel his fist shaking. "Izuku."

-But there's more!- All Might turned to the chart and a video played. It showed the massive zero pointer roaming down the street. -While it is true you can gain points through defeating villains, there's another way to gain points!-

The screen showed Izuku running toward the zero pointer and stopping it from hitting Ochako. Momo's eyes widened to the size of saucers after seeing such a display. "Oh my goodness. I knew you were strong, but-"

The color in his eyes returned as he saw him save Ochako before taking his stance. -Having good combat skills is not the only thing a hero needs. The greatest thing a hero can do is self sacrifice and place themselves to save their fellow man. Therefore we grant RESCUE POINTS! You and the girl, Ochako Uraraka, have displayed the most obvious rescue attempt. That means grant you, 60 rescue points! Bringing your score to 90 points! Congratulations young man and welcome to U.A High.-

The projection closed and Midoriya couldn't hold it in anymore. His eyes were watering up and he was shaking. Momo turned to him and opened her mouth to say something before she found herself scooped into the air in a bear hug! Midoriya was laughing so loud as he spun her around.

"I did it! I did it, I did it, I did it, I did it!" Momo was taken back by the sudden outburst as Midoriya held her up. She was honestly quite surprised by it. He stopped and looked at her with brightest smile and she couldn't help, but blush at it. He slowly regained his senses and realized their position.

He sent her down quickly and rubbed the back of his head instinctively. "S-sorry. I was-I'm just happy."

"It's fine. Now we both made it! I gotta tell my mom!" She raised her hand up and Izuku quickly smacked it. He ran out of his room to tell the good news while Momo silently cried out in pain over how hard that high five was. She walked out and saw Izuku talking extremely fast and Takahashi trying not to look overwhelmed.

Inko was in the kitchen and she seemed to be shaking. Momo moved to kitchen to check on her. She walked to the counter and saw Inko was crying. The mother looked up and saw Momo looking at her.

"Oh don't mind me. The news just...hit me really hard. My baby's going to be a hero course student." She muttered the last part, but Momo put an arm around her.

"It'll be fine. Izuku is in good hands." She gave the mom a warm smile and made Inko look at the girl with awe.

"I'm sure he will. I take it you'll be there to look after him."

Momo blinked at the statement before nodding. "I will. As a promise from a future hero."

The two shared a small smile until Inko went over to the cabinet and pulled out a few bowls. "Well dinner isn't going to eat itself and Izuku's going to need all the strength he can get."

After dinner, Izuku found himself walking outside with Momo, umbrella in hand. Inko was very incessistant that she visits again and Momo wasn't one to say no. Takahashi just gave him an approving nod to Izuku who brushed it off.

"Please come back soon!" Inko called out. Momo nodded back as she walked on. Takahashi was watching them and closed his eyes. Momo's aura was a calm blue, but when he saw Midoriya's green chakra next to her's, the white core of her being turned light pink.

'Maybe I should keep emotional sensing for another day. It would ruin the surprise.' His phone rang and Takahashi saw it was All Might. He left the window to answer it.

Momo patted her stomach as she ate her fill. Surprisingly, the girl was able to match with Izuku on appetite.

"I still can't believe you ate five bowls of the pot roast and a few servings of ice cream." Izuku reflected on that as Momo winked.

"You know how much fat my quirk burns. You shouldn't be surprised by how much I must eat." The girl opened her palm and it sparkled. A small nesting doll came out of it and she held it up to Izuku. "Here. Take it as a celebration gift."

"Momo…" He started, but she placed it in his hands.

"Just think of it as a good luck charm." The rich girl insisted. "Besides you don't need to get me anything since you said yourself was a"guaranteed win". Right?"

Izuku held the doll in his hand and looked at Momo, who seemed to be glowing with his acceptance. He put it in his pocket before a loud clap of thunder was heard. The two flinched at the noise and Momo felt Izuku move in closer. She was about to tell him when the rain began to pour. They looked up before Izuku pulled out the umbrella. The black item covered them both as she looked down at the nervous boy.

"So is your ride on the way?"

"Yes he should be." There was an awkward silence as they listened to drops of water hitting the umbrella. It was oddly peaceful as Momo felt her knuckles graze his. "I-I look forward to working with you."

"Same." His hands are currently occupied with holding the umbrella and nesting doll so he was trying not to let either drop. "Maybe we'll end up in the same class."

"Maybe." She said back. Momo was trying her best to remain calm in the situation but it wasn't really working out for her. Her heart was beating faster and she shivered.

Izuku noticed. "Cold?"

"A little, but the rain always does that." He pondered on that when he decided to try something. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His figure started to glow before his green aura burst into a gentle flame. Momo felt its warmth and gravitated toward it. "Thanks."

This gave her enough courage to hold onto his wrist. The boy imitated a tomato. They stayed there until a car pulled up. It opened up to reveal a man in a suit to which Momo opened the back door. "Goodbye Izuku."

"S-See you later." She rode off and covered her face in her hands. Izuku tried not to think about it as he got ready to go.

AN: Just a little fluff before we start most of the action in U.A


	10. Chapter 10

Izuku patted his cheeks as Takahashi was driving them down the road. His first class in U.A is about to start and nerves were only the tipping point of how he was feeling right now. Takahashi acted totally casual. He was bobbing his head to some new song on the radio before turning it off when he noticed Midoriya's nervous expression.

"Don't worry about it."

"Huh?"

Takahashi pointed at the school in the distance. "Don't worry about U.A. All Might and I have trained you extensively for this school and you passed the exam with your own merits."

Midoriya looked down at his hands and clenched them softly. "Right."

"Besides your girlfriend will likely be by your side since you're both going through the hero course."

Izuku reacted sporadically at that. "Wh-Wh-What are you talking about?! I don't have a girlfriend!"

He was given some side eye, but Takahashi stopped in front of the school. "Well your friend is here so don't worry about. Or maybe you'll meet that Ochako girl. I'm sure she would like to be your friend as well."

They stopped and Izuku got out while blushing mad. Takahashi passed him his bag as he looked serious.

"Alright it's time for your hero journey to start. And Izuku…"

The student looked at his mentor quizzically. "Don't fuck up."

With that, Takahashi closed the door and drove off. This left Izuku particularly bewildered by his mentor's attitude. It always seemed to switch from wise old teacher, to strict instructor, to teasing relative. He sighed loudly to himself and walked up into the building.

Midoriya ran up the building trying to find his new class. The entire place was huge and a complex worthy of teaching so many new heroes, but it was quite huge.

' _Geez you expect a military complex to be more complicated. Then again with how U.A is one of the most popular places to study, it would make sense that it would-'_ His thoughts were interrupted when he ran into something pink.

Two groans were heard and Midoriya rubbed his head. "Ow! What the heck man?"

He looked up and saw two scary eyes looking at him. Black sclera and gold pupils glared hard and got him standing. "Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to bump into you!"

He held out his hand and was surprised to see the pink hand grab it. Now that some of the initial pain was gone, he could get a better look and his nerves went into overdrive. There was a cute pink girl who was pouting adorably. He took note of her hair which was similar to his, but pink and with two horns sticking out. She looked at his hand and the pouting was replaced by a grin. She gripped it and pulled herself up.

"Alright. All's forgiven." She patted her skirt. "Hey thanks for the hand."

She gave a wink before turning and going back in her direction. Midoriya was blushing madly as he put his hand on his chest. "Jesus, why is it that I ran into another cute girl!"

Patting his cheeks and getting a drink of water, Midoriya quickly walked up the halls and found class 1-A. "Ok, ok, ok. Here it is. Class 1-A. This will be where my future st-"

Upon opening the door, he was met with a loud scream. "Who the hell do you think you're telling this too?!"

"I'm telling you that your posture is very disrespectful! Let me start again. My name is Tenya Iida and-"

"Look I'm not really interested in your name four eyes! So get off my back!" Midoriya looked to see Bakugou and the teen with the glasses, now known as Iida, having a back and forth.

' _The universe must be determined to make all things go my way.'_ Izuku had a blank expression as he turned to look. His body shivered when he saw the pink girl he bumped into earlier. ' _Really?! Come on throw me a bone!'_

 _Principal's Office_

Takahashi opened the door and saw Toshinori sitting there with the principal. "Principal Nezu. Toshi."

"Good morning Takahashi, I trust that the ride here wasn't bad." Nezu responded. Takahashi shook his head and sat down. "Fantastic, now before we continue our day, Toshinori promised me that I would be getting the full story. After all it would be suspicious for two teachers to hold a secret that could affect a student while working under me."

Takahashi turned to Toshi before sighing. "What do you need to know?"

"Among the staff, Recovery Girl and I know all about One for All and All Might's successor, Izuku Midoriya. It would seem natural for the number one hero to train him, I want to hear your reason."

The old man sighed and scratched his chin. "I've entrusted another power within Izuku Midoriya. I intend to help him master it alongside One for All. An ancient one that if not properly used could spell disaster for many others."

"Does that mean you have abilities similar to Midoriya? Because on our registry you put the quirk, Healing Hands."

Takahashi nodded. "I apologize, but my healing ability is what I primarily been using for years. Though I can expand my arsenal if need be, if I put more of my abilities on my registration then it would raise some eyebrows. Especially when things like dual quirks are exceedingly rare."

The principal nodded. "I see. I'm sure while Recovery Girl will appreciate the help, I would like a summary of your total abilities sometime this semester. This can help me plan what classes you'll substitute."

"Of course. Still I hope you understand my reasoning."

That makes plenty of sense, but I do hope that when you start your duties, that you will treat all the students equally."

"Of course." Takahashi said.

Nezu hopped down and held out his hand. "Then welcome aboard Mr. Takahashi. Report to Recovery Girl after lunch. Have a good day you two."

The two men left the office with Takahashi sighing. All Might scratched his chin. "That wasn't so bad."

Takahashi elbowed him. "Don't jinx it. Despite that smile, the principal was very cautious since he asked about my _other_ abilities. I'm just happy he was willing to accept my explanation. I'm going to Ch-Recovery Girl. I'll see you around for lunch."

He walked off and passed several teachers, Cementoss and Midnight. They looked at Takahashi for a second before turning to All Might. "So the new nurse passed his trial."

"Yeah he did. Thankfully he did, he'll be a great addition to U.A!" All Might said.

"Cool. Oh All Might, here's the student files you asked earlier." Midnight passed the file to All Might which read, Midoriya. He opened the file and read it before spurting out blood.

"No way!" He almost screamed. Midnight chuckled when he read the name of his homeroom teacher. Shota Aizawa.

 _Back to Class_

"Izuku!" He turned to the voice and saw Momo sitting at one of the desks. And there was his brief moment of peace. She was waving at him, but that unfortunately got the attention of the others. Bakugou looked up and gave a disdainful glare at Izuku while Iida looked caught off guard.

"Hi Momo." He waved back to until he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Hey, it's you! Izuku Midoriya, right?" He turned and saw the girl he saved at the entrance exam. She had a bright smile on as she greeted him. "You remember me?"

"O-oh. Ochako...Uraraka right?" She nodded. Iida made his way to them with his hands in a stiff position.

He stopped in front of him and quickly bowed. "Hello, I'm sure you must also remember me from the entrance exam, my name is-"

"Iida. I heard!" Momo was looking on with some amusement at Iida's posture, but her heart bumped weirdly when she saw Ochako. The girl saw her on the video when Izuku received his acceptance letter yet seeing her now…

"I came to apologize for antagonizing you during the exam! Clearly it was undeserving." Midoriya remembered how Iida rubbed a little salt in his wound during the exam. The apology was a good remedy.

"Hey it's fine. No worries." He turned to Ochako. "Hey we're really lucky to get in the same class, huh?"

"Yup!" She flashed another bright smile and Izuku felt his nerves calm down in the moment.

The nice moment was soon ruined when a bored voice stabbed through it. "If you're done making friends, I would like to begin class."

The three looked down at a yellow sleeping bag turn over and reveal a grungy man. He looked at them and they immediately took their seats. Everyone else straightened out as well. Getting up, he took out his watch and finished the timer.

"18 seconds. Not bad, not excellent either. Time is a precious commodity for you all and I intend to make sure you use all of it productively. Now everyone, get your gym uniforms on. It's time to take a test."

 _Locker Room_

Midoriya zipped up his jacket and walked out of the locker room. Everyone seemed nice, but with how the teacher was, no one wanted to argue. He walked out and looked around the area before bumping into someone.

He quickly turned and saw it was the pink girl. "Again? You trying to size me up?"

"Wh-what no?! I was just-" He stopped and saw the girl giving a sly grin at his own reaction.

"Dude don't sweat it. I'm messing with you. Hi there, Mina Ashido."

"I-Izuku Midoriya." He held out his hand and she gave it a quick shake. Midoriya took a deep breath before saying anymore. "We should probably hurry. We don't want Mr. Baggy busy."

She snickered at that. "If you say so."

They both ran out and met the rest of their class outside. Midoriya moved over closer to the front and saw Momo. She scooted closer to him as their teacher walked out. "Good morning everyone. As you all know this is your first day of U.A high, but don't relax just yet. You may have passed the exam, but here we get a more personal examination of your quirk. Don't do that and I'll see to it that you're expelled."

The words hit everyone as they tried to look at their teacher seriously. At the back of the gym, stood All Might. Hiding in the corner, the number one hero was watching. ' _Of all the teachers, Young Midoriya had to get Aizawa.'_

He felt a tap on the shoulder and saw Takahashi standing behind him. "What're you doing?"

"Ah looking at Young Midoriya's quirk examination. He got Aizawa." Takahashi raised an eyebrow and looked around the corner. "He's a rough teacher."

Another blank stare. All Might sighed. "This man is one of toughest instructors in U.A. He once expelled an entire class because he believed they had no potential. If Young Midoriya is not careful, he could get expelled."

Takahashi gave an 'oh' expression. "Eh I'm sure it'll be fine. And All Might, don't worry. I'm sure Izuku will be fine."

"Not afraid he'll do something reckless?"

Takahashi paused. "No and I'll bet you a few yen that it won't happen."

Back with the students, everyone was doing a bunch of exercises. Meter dashes, grip strength, the works. Midoriya decided to use Full Cowling for most of the exercises. That made him receive more of the positive scores, but others like Iida or an ice user named Todoroki got the better of him in some exercises. Finally they got to the softball test.

"Now for this final test, I want you toss the ball. You can do anything within the circle, but try your best." Aizawa said.

Midoriya was stretching his arms as he looked on. He said to himself, "Huh you know these exercises would make us killer athletes."

"I know right." Mina responded back. Izuku chuckled when Aizawa caught their attention.

"Midoriya, Bakugou. Step forward." The two stepped up and looked at each other. "You two were tied on the practical exam. As such I would like you two to be the first as an example to the others. You will now use your quirk at your current limit to toss the ball as far as you can."

Bakugou stepped up and took the ball. He closed his eyes and shouted, "DIE!"

There was a massive explosion as the ball flew high into the sky.

"676 meters. Not a bad record." Izuku gave a blank stare at his old friend. ' _Screaming that will definitely paint you as a villain.'_

Bakugou could feel the stare and turned around. "You wanna say something DEKU?!"

"N-Nothing Kaachan!" Momo and the others looked at the exchange and it their history could be clearly seen. Ochako and Mina pondered on that name though...Deku?

"Enough! Now Midoriya step up, it's your turn." Midoriya stepped up and picked up the ball. "Now go ahead."

Midoriya looked at the ball and remembered how he destroyed the zero pointer. He closed his eyes and focused. Everyone saw bright pink veins wrap around his arm. Bakugou and everyone else felt a weird change in the air as Midoriya's aura burst through. The red eyed teen almost gasped at the sight.

' _Alright during the entrance exam, I managed to use both One for All and my chakra. This should be more than enough!'_

He reeled his arm back before snapping it forward. Yet just as the ball was about to leave his hand something wrapped around his wrist, Midoriya felt a huge power fail as One for All in his arm and chakra disappear. All Might gasped while Takahashi raised an eyebrow.

"Whoa, what happened?"

"Midoriya was putting out a lot of power, but it suddenly left?" The class wondered what was going on as Aizawa huffed annoyed.

"Midoriya. You were going to break your arm again like in the Entrance Exam weren't you?" Izuku slowly craned his to the side as he saw Aizawa's glowing red eyes. "That isn't practical at all."

"W-Wait...this scarf, those eyes. You're the underground hero, Eraserhead!" Midoriya exclaimed. Aizawa sighed at Izuku and kept his eyes trained on him.

Takahashi slowly hardened his gaze. "That man...he was able to stop Izuku from using One for All and chakra. That is an impressive ability."

Aizawa pulled a bit tighter. "You were aiming to focus all your power in your arm for the highest score. Yet in doing so, you would make yourself monoplegic just like you did in the exam. That will simply not do at all. Are you expecting someone to save you? Or do you think that damaging yourself for a possible one hit victory is actually passable?"

Izuku's eyes widened as Aizawa pulled the scarf off. "We expect you to go beyond your limits, but this doesn't just pertain to your power. It involves using your mind in finding creative solutions to save you in your time of need. Now try again or consider this your first and last day of U.A."

Momo clenched her fist. ' _Earlier when he made the threat to expel someone at the end, I could tell that was a logical ruse. However this threat...it's real! Izuku, what're you gonna do?'_

All Might and Takahashi watched intently and Midoriya could sense them. He looked around and saw Momo looking increasingly worried along with Ochako. Everyone else was looking at him with some level of anticipation except the raven student. Tokoyami, the dual hair colored Todoroki, and Bakugou. He was showing a cocky smirk at the news.

"Fine." Izuku was handed another ball. He stared intensely at it, trying to figure out what he can do. That's when an idea popped in his mind. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He held the ball in both hands before slightly parting them. Aizawa raised an eyebrow when he saw the ball floating between his palms.

A second letter, a green color outlined it. The ball stayed afloat when Izuku quickly braced his right arm and pressed his middle finger against his thumb.

"DELAWARE SMASH: 100%!" He shouted and flicked his finger. There was a large gust of wind that sent the ball flying away and created a large cloud of dust. It became a green streak in the sky before twinkling in the distance. The cloud slowly dissipated and showed Midoriya holding his wrist tightly while his middle finger was dark purple.

Aizawa looked at the results and grinned.

' _This kid. Impressive.'_ He thought. The teacher held up the screen. "1.5 Kilometers. Alright consider your career in U.A worth continuing."

All Might cheered while Takahashi was pulling out his wallet. He passed a bit of money over.

"Takahashi did you see that? He was able to utilize both of our powers without breaking anything major. That's was so cool!"

"Using chakra to entrap the ball and using One for All to launch it, basically boosted what every distance Izuku would have hit if fired it like a normal energy blast. He probably didn't want to take any chances of it failing and went a hundred percent." Takahashi analysed.

Midoriya panted hard as he clenched his fist. ' _Yes!'_

Yet his celebration was cut short by a confused and angry growl. "What the hell?! Deku, you bastard!"

The blonde was charging forward to grab the boy. "TELL ME HOW YOU DID THAT!"

Before he reached the boy, two things grabbed him. A hand on his shoulder and the same scarf that wrapped around Izuku earlier was now holding onto his torso. He looked up and saw Takahashi and Aizawa holding him back. Aizawa's eyes were glowing red while Takahashi's shined a bright blue. Izuku never noticed how bright either were.

All Might almost coughed out blood in surprise when he saw Takahashi disappear. ' _That was almost as fast as me!'_

Aizawa and the class was surprised to say the least about the new staff member's appearance. "Takahashi, what're you doing here?"

"I heard a loud explosion outside. Curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see what caused it."

' _Hm even if that was the case, we're out on the field. And I barely saw him run up to catch Bakugou. What kind of speed does this man have?'_

Bakugou growled before recognizing Takahashi. "Y-You. You're that old man who hangs around Deku!"

Takahashi gave hmph and let go of Bakugou. He turned and waved at the other heroes.

"Hello Takahashi." Momo politely greeted.

He nodded at her and then turned to Aizawa. Some of the students began to whisper on how Momo knew him. "My apologies, but I think a student attacking another would be problematic especially on the first day."

Bakugou shivered when he saw the man glare right at him. Aizawa sighed and turned his quirk off.

"That is true however it would be best if you stuck to your own duties. For example, Midoriya. Step forward." Midoriya did and held out his broken finger.

Takahashi held it in his hand and made it glow. The bright blue hue was almost angelic to see, but while everyone focused on that Izuku saw Takahashi mouthing something. 'After school we need to talk.'

He let go of Izuku's finger and everyone, but Ochako was astonished to see the finger return back to a healthy cream color. Midoriya walked back to his peers while Bakugou was finally set free and grumbled back to the group.

"Everyone this is Takahashi. He's our new staff member underneath the medical branch of U.A. Any injuries or other health issues can be directed to him. Now he'll be leaving." Aizawa shot him a glare and Takahashi simply moved away.

He waved at the others and quickly left. Everyone but Izuku was surprised at how he suddenly disappeared.

Momo moved closer to Izuku while this happened. "Why didn't you tell me your grandpa was working at U.A or he was that fast?"

"Uh...I forgot?" Izuku tried to explain. Momo rolled her eyes before giving him a smile.

"Well at least we know he can heal." She said as she saw Aizawa directed her to come up next. Izuku patted her on the shoulder as she left.

"That was pretty cool." Someone whispered. He turned to his side and saw Ochako flashing him a bright smile. "I mean you managed to only break a finger this time."

"Well it's better than breaking my arm. Otherwise I think you would have to save me again." He chuckled. She thought about it and remembered how she felt after the entrance exam. She blushed a little hard and turned away to hide it. Izuku looked confused but soon she turned back and two watched on until Aizawa called Ochako up. He gave her a thumbs up and waited for everyone else to get their turn.

Finally all the students ended their turn from a purple balled teen named Mineta not getting far to Ochako getting an infinity. Aizawa put up the results and Midoriya felt proud to reach second place. The one who surpassed him was that Todoroki guy who was using a powerful ice quirk. Behind him was Momo and Bakugou. And that Mineta kid was weeping at his score.

"WHAT?!" Bakugou shouted as he saw the name placement. He turned to Izuku and saw him shrug nonchalantly. "YOU GOT SOMETHING TO SAY DEKU!"

"Enough. The results are in and…" Aizawa paused. Everyone waited and he smiled. "No one is getting expelled. It was all a logical ruse to do your best."

"Jesus his smile is creepier than his mood." Izuku mumbled. He heard snickering and saw Mina and Ochako not trying to laugh.

Aizawa turned his back on them. "Alright get changed. Class is dismissed."

He walked off as everyone else was relieved to fight another day. He walked passed the building and then stopping. "So this is where you and Takahashi were looking."

All Might sweated nervously at the smaller man calling him out. "Well I just came to see how this year's crop looked. And Aizawa, I know that you weren't kidding about expelling those have failed. That means you definitely see potential in the entire class!

Aizawa gave a huff. "Potential yes, but it's up to them to act on it. Especially that Midoriya kid."

The number one hero froze. "You know All Might, it's bad of a teacher to play favorites. I'll have to be extra hard on him if the number one hero is expecting more from him."

He walked away as All might contemplated their standings. "I guess we won't be getting along."

Aizawa on the other hand felt on edge about something else. Takahashi, that speed in which he caught, and those glowing eyes. It reeked of power and danger.

 _In the Nurse's Office_

Takahashi entered the place and looked up at Recovery Girl. "So...I'm sorry I was a little late, but I was healing a student."

She continued to look at him. "Takahashi...really? That's your new name?"

"Chiyo-" He raised his hand and caught her cane. She sneered and pulled it away.

"Can you imagine my near heart attack when Toshi showed your picture in front of the principal? Decades since we last talked and you don't even give your old friend a call." Takahashi looked down and honestly regretful. The healing hero gazed it for a second and sighed. "Come here. Let me see your face."

He walked over and knelt in front of her. She took off her gloves, reaching forward she cupped his cheeks. Takahashi sighed at her slightly cold hands and smiled apologetically as she carassed her thumb over his skin.

"My, my. You've barely aged a day and to believe I was a teenager when we first met. You still have those three winkles and silver hair. Now look how the tables have turned, I've lost all luster."

"I don't think so. I still see the proud healer who helped me all those years ago. In my eyes, you've grown far more beautiful than I ever thought to be."

She chuckled as she pulled her hands away. "Always the charmer. So did you find what you were looking for?"

"I did and I returned to Japan about a decade ago. I wasn't alone for long, I ended up taking care of a nice family who lives nearby. Their son happens to be studying here." Chiyo frowned and pulled out a file. It read Izuku Midoriya.

"Takahashi...he knows?" His gentle smile finally dropped

"I'm training him. Before you start, I didn't pick him by my choice. I chose him because All Might did." Chiyo gave him a questionable look. "I trust his judgement more than my own and it'll be far better than my last student."

A dark shadow loomed over his eyes. "I won't have him end up like "him"."

Chiyo scratched her chin before putting a hand on his shoulder. "Fine. If helping Toshi's successor helps then we'll do our best. Right nurse Taka?"

He grinned and nodded. Getting up Takahashi laughed. "If only you're okay with my new name."

"Anything for you old friend."

 _After School_

The school day went by a lot faster after the quirk exam and now people were heading home. Izuku sighed as he looked at his finger.

It was still tingling even after getting healed. Maybe it was a side effect, but that wouldn't make any sense. Or maybe it could be that his body was still adjusting. Perhaps the nerves were actually destroyed in the flick and the healing replaced him with new ones unfamiliar with all these sensations or-

"Deku? You really seem to be going off." The voice snapped him out of it as he looked to see Ochako, Mina, and Iida looking at him with all their bags at the ready.

"Oh it's fine, but...wait what did you call me?"

"Deku. It was what that blonde guy shouted out." Ochako said. "Is something wrong with it?"

Midoriya nervously tapped his fingers. "Um, well it's a n-nickname Kaachan gave me when we were younger."

"Aw a childhood nickname!" Mina said. "Though if I were to pick a nickname for you, it would probably be Midori! Doesn't that cuter?"

"C-Cuter?" He stammered as Mina leaned in closer. Momo felt her eye twitch for a second while Ochako felt a weird pang in her chest. "Sure. You can call me that if you want, but to answer your question all the way Ochako, it was a nickname that meant...useless."

"Given that boy's attitude I wouldn't put it past him." Iida said. Momo put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him while Mina looked shocked to hear that and see the sad expression.

Ochako put a finger on her chin and looked up. "Oh. I didn't know that. I thought it was based around the word Dekiru."

"You can do it?" Momo wondered out loud.

Ochako nodded and Midoriya was surprised by the new meaning. "Th-then you can call me Deku!"

"Just like that?" Iida and Momo said.

Mina pouted, "Darn that is better, but I think Midori will be my nickname for you. Alright I better head out. Bye Midori, bye everyone else!"

She waved goodbye before dashing out the gate. Midoriya was waving back when she left and felt a little proud of the nickname. Embarrassing or not, the girl made it out of friendship not mockery.

Ochako and Iida were next to leave. "I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow for class!"

"Same. Bye Yaoyorozu, bye Deku!" She stared an extra second longer at Izuku before leaving.

Finally the two were left alone. The sunsetting on in the distance. Momo blushed at the almost romantic atmosphere as she twiddled with a strand of her hair. "You did well today."

"I did? Oh thanks." Izuku remarked. The girl felt butterflies in her stomachs as they walked out of the building. It was just the two of them again. "You know I loved how you brought the cannon out for the ball. That was creative!"

"Oh well it wasn't as creative as how you did it. That was impressive."

"It would've been more impressive if I didn't break my finger." He flexed it and still felt the tingling. Momo glanced at it before reaching over and placing his hand on top of hers. Gazing it, Momo moved closer with a concerned look on her face.

Izuku felt his cheeks warm as she held it. "Izuku, perhaps it is not my place but can you promise me one thing."

"What?"

She maneuvered her hand and slipped her fingers through his. He was screamed on the inside, but kept a neutral expression.

"Promise me that you won't bring harm to yourself so often!" She exclaimed. Momo flinched at Izuku's reaction to her tone. "I-I'm sorry, but I saw how you broke your arm during the entrance exam and how you were about to do it again during Mr. Aizawa's test."

She squeezed his hand as she let the worry begin to take over. Izuku noticed this and leaned in for a hug when he freed his hand. The rich girl gasped at the sudden contact as she looked down at his green mop. His chin rested on top of her chest as he held her tightly.

"I-I promise to try. I'll try my best not to worry you!" Midoriya said as he looked up at her. Momo felt her heart beat faster as she looked into his emerald eyes.

' _We're so close...and this is so comforting.'_ The two slowly separated, but Izuku felt her hands around his waist. He didn't notice his held on to hers. Her onyx eyes were staring into his green ones.

"Thank you." She whispered softly. The two kept their contact going when Momo seemed to lean in. A sudden beep caught their attention and the moment was ruined by it. They both abruptly let go of each other and turned their backs to each other.

' _WHAT WAS THAT?!'_

' _WAS I ABOUT TO K-K-K-!'_ She looked at the source of the honk and saw her driver. She straightened her uniform and robotically turned to her friend. "Well there's my ride! I'll see you tomorrow Izuku!"

"Y-Y-You too." He was holding himself and his bangs covered up his eyes while his face was blushing red. The girl dashed to her car and almost jumped in when it opened for her. Izuku quickly power walked in the direction of his home as it left.

The driver looked into the rear view mirror and saw Momo covering her face with both of her hands. "Many apologies ma'am. I did not mean to startle you."

"I-It's fine. N-No harm done. Let's hurry home, I wish to rest for tomorrow's events." She held onto her bag tightly as she tried to calm herself down.

' _It's fine, it's fine, it's fine! There was no harm done and it was just to help him make a promise not to hurt himself. It's all good!'_ She then remembered his eyes and her redness began to match her future hero costume. ' _How come he's so adorable! Those eyes just scream cuteness! But not only that his hands held m-'_

Now the image of Izuku made her remember his touch and others. Her mind then flashed to the wet t-shirt she saw him in. How it clung to every shape. It caused the rich girl's eyes to become swirls.

' _NO! He's my friend! An interesting friend that just so happens to be the most adorable, sweet, strong, kissable-'_ Her thought process then crashed at that last word. It all became too much as she fainted on the spot.

"Ma'am?" The driver asked as he turned back and saw Momo sitting there blushing red and steam emitting from her cheeks. "U.A must be working them hard. Even on the first day."

 _On the sidewalk_

Midoriya was trying to calm himself down. ' _Holding hands and hugging a girl is still exhilarating!'_

He winced as he looked at his hands and saw his middle finger still tingling. ' _Hm...this is different. Takahashi's healing always helps and during the exam Recovery Girl left no tingle. Then again One for All broke my arms during training and both Recovery Girl and Takahashi healed me at the entrance exam. Could there be some sort of backlash when I'm not properly healed?'_

When he powered up his hand, the tingling stopped. "Hm."

As he continued walking by himself, Izuku heard a branch snap before turning around fast and did a backflip. Takahashi was revealed standing there with his fist out. "Good your reaction speed is still on point."

"What the heck Takahashi? What's with the sudden attack?" Izuku wondered as the old man straightened his outfit.

"You were not ready when Bakugou was running towards you. Not even switching to a fight stance. You just broke a finger not your arm. I expect better next time!" Izuku shivered at the glare. Despite how close they were, Takahashi could always pull off the scariest look when he was giving a lesson.

He dropped the glare and sighed. "Besides that I need to know. What knowledge do you have of the U.A staff and their quirks?"

"Eh?"

"You heard me. I assume because you were enthralled with going to U.A that you would research which heroes worked there. Am I correct?" Izuku blushed at the accusation, but bashfully nodded.

He dug into his backpack and pulled a journal. It was in pristine condition compared to the one Bakugou ruined. "Good."

"Wait, why do you need to know about their quirks?"

"Boy, I need this information for your betterment." Izuku blinked and the old man sighed. "You have been gifted with two great powers. Chakra and One for All. These powers are very destructive and after the entrance exam, I thought I would need to keep a closer eye on you than before."

He sat down on a bench and patted to sit next to him. The boy did and Takahashi continued. "However given what I've seen during your quirk examination test, it made me realize that there are others who could help. For one thing, Eraserhead is one of the best choices for a teacher. Given that he erased both of your quirks when you were about to break it."

Izuku blushed in embarrassment as Takahashi brought that up.

"So you need others to keep an eye on my power."

"Yes. Izuku don't take this the wrong way, but you are far from mastering your abilities as it is. And that you've had chakra for a while I need to tell you that within these coming months you'll likely suffer power outbursts. That can spell disaster."

"What?!"

Takahashi tapped Izuku's heart. "In my day, children that could stand were training to master chakra. This in turn made it easier when their power acted sporadically. You on the other hand have gained this ability late in life. Your natural energies are far larger and harder to control than a child's and with One for All, it could get worse."

He flipped to a page and saw Midnight and Cementoss. "As such someone like Midnight could knock you out or have others shield you from others."

"So I could be a danger to everyone?"

"If it was just chakra, I could trust myself to deal with it alone. However with One for All, it amplifies your potential far more than it originally was. Honestly your chakra has grown significantly since ingesting All Might's hair. Like several people..." Takahashi closed the notebook and got up. "Nevermind."

Izuku pondered on that statement before remembering an important word. "Originally? What do you mean originally?"

The old man gazed at the sky and sighed. "Everyone is born with a certain limit of their chakra. When I was young, their powers were exceedingly high but in this current year I've noticed a downward spike on the majority of the population. For the past fear years it's been you, a few of your classmates and other quirkless people I've met that are moderately higher than a majority of those with quirks."

Izuku look downright shook hearing that. "Quirkless people have...higher potential? Does that quirks deter the extent of others? No you said that other quirk heroes have some potential. Wait, how do you see-"

"NOPE!" Takahashi chopped the boy's head bluntly to shut him up. "No muttering while I'm telling you this. And as for your last question, I can sense it. I can see the raw battle power stored within everyone. In fact the only significant student I've seen with this power was Bakugou. Imagine if I trained him."

The sudden thought of Kaachan having chakra...the image was too scary for Izuku to process. He shivered like a leaf at the thought. Suddenly, he looked up and saw they were at Takahashi's car.

"But that's likely as All Might's punches not destroying glass." Takahashi concluded. "Anyways I think we should continue this conversation later. I am hungry perhaps Inko has some leftover pot roast."

Midoriya's stomach growled when he heard that. He sighed tiredly and tossed his bag in. He stretched, but heard the door close. Takahashi started the car and locked the door. Izuku nudged the door handle, but the old man shot him a smile.

"We can sneak in a bit of training at the end of your school days." He smiled and reversed. "Follow me back to your house. Oh and we're taking a scenic route."

Takahashi took off at the max speed limit leaving Izuku dumbfounded for a second.

"W-what?! Takahashi! My backpack, my stuff! TAKAHASHI! WHAT THE HELL!" Izuku screamed as he ran after in Full Cowling. "YOU CAN'T JUST SPRING THIS ON ME!"

Takahashi chuckled as he adjusted his rear view mirror. His mind suddenly flashed back to his conversation with Recovery Girl.

' _No...you will not end up like him.'_ He sped up and Izuku had to up his limit.

* * *

I rewritten the beginning.


	11. Chapter 11

Takahashi rolled up as he looked outside. Izuku was being smothered by his mother as she was kissing him on the cheek.

"Mom, stop!"

"In a minute. I need to give me hero son a bit more love for his second day." She said before giving another smooch on the cheek. Izuku was secretly smiling at that, but continued to gently push his mother off.

"Bye mom."

She waved goodbye as she saw him hop in the car with the old man. She watched the car disappear as she held up her phone to read her latest text message.

 _T: I recommend you smother him today. The costume's should be done and I think he'll appreciate the love._

 _I: I would do it regardless._

 _T: Like your yoga classes?_

She left him on read there. It wasn't that she was ignoring her exercises. More like she just needed the push. Inko rolled her shoulders before calling Mitsuki for their classes.

In the car, Takahashi was listening to the radio while Izuku was writing away in his journal. It was the burnt one this time.

"What're you working on?"

"Oh...I saw all of my class's quirks yesterday. I started initial entries during class after Mr. Aizawa's exercise, but I needed some time to think them through and get it accurate. I got half the class, but now I'm working on Kirishima and Ashido. Kirishima seems to have an incredible hardening quirk while Ashido manages to secrete acid from both her feet and hands. I'm just writing up on some probable strategies and stats."

Takahashi glanced at him before refocusing on the road. "Nerd."

"H-Hey."

"It's true. Although I hope some villains don't get those. Information like that could be dangerous in the right hands."

Izuku nodded at that. Of course villains would kill to have some of the information written down. But Izuku's was more like public knowledge of a hero. Others could get it if they studied before hand. He looked out the window and watched some people go by. A few stood out like a cat man or a weird purple one. And some were normal like this little white haired girl being walked along. He took a second glance at the girl before feeling the car turn the corner and stop.

"Why are we stopping here? School is about another mile away." Takahashi grinned and Izuku's eyes widened. "No, no, no!"

"Today's exercise will be free running across this district to school. You pass, you get to class on time. You fail then...I'll let Aizawa pick your punishment." The boy shivered at the thought as Takahashi kicked him out of the car. Tossing his bag with him, the old man gave a salute before driving off. "Oh and here's a watch."

Izuku sighed angrily to himself as he warmed up his legs. "I hope I don't fall into any trash bins. How long till class starts?"

His heart almost dropped. Fifteen minutes before class started and counting. And so he was off. Leaping and climbing anything he could. The good part was that U.A looked close. The bad part was that it was still hard to run through and not have people question you. By a stroke of bad luck, it got worse when he knocked over a roof patio table. Scrambling to pick it up, Midoriya heard the window open.

"Hey watch it you punk! Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like it when I'm angry!" An old man with sunglasses shouted.

"Sorry sir!" Midoriya shouted as he jumped to the next roof.

The elder closed his window and picked up his newspaper. "Ah kids today."

Thirteen minutes of clamoring, getting closer to the school, Midoriya jumped off the edge and did a backflip just as he approached the ground. Rolling to spread the impact, he used his momentum to rocket himself to the school grounds. One minute remaining and he was debating whether to use Full Cowling. Deciding against it, Midoriya dashed up the halls which were empty.

' _Shit! Shit! Classes must already be starting!'_ He found the 1-A class room and yanked the door open. "I'm sorry that I'm-"

He stopped to see the classroom was empty. Except for one Tenya Iida. "Midoriya! I see you too have adopted the proper attendance of a U.A student. Twenty minutes before class begins!"

"Ten?" He heard a whistle behind him and Takahashi holding the watch in his hands.

"14 minutes and 17 seconds. Not bad at all." He looked into the classroom. "Good morning Iida."

"Good morning Mr. Takahashi! We are ready to learn!" Iida was already standing up and bowing respectfully at the staff member. Midoriya was just trying to stop his eye from twitching.

He flashed a big smile. "That's good. I'm glad you and Midoriya here have such conviction."

"I hate you." Midoriya muttered as he went to his desk and put his head down. He rested there for the next ten minutes. When class started everyone was conversing when he finally put up his head.

Everyone was talking and even Mina waved at him. Everyone was talking to each other when they heard a hearty laugh.

"I...AM...HERE!" All Might burst through the door. "ENTERING THE ROOM COMPLETELY NORMAL!"

' _That's normal?'_ Everyone thought.

"Anyways despite my entrance, I believe we best get onto today's exercise. Combat training!"

' _Combat training?/!'_ Izuku looked across the classroom to see Kaachan's extremely excited face. He glanced at his hand then clenched it into a tight fist. ' _This my chance!'_

"Also you should be glad to know that the school just received your costumes today!" All Might clicked the button and suitcases slid out of the wall. Each one labeled with a number that matches each seat the students sat in. "Now let's get dressed and ready!"

In the locker room, every boy was excitingly getting dressed. He looked and saw Iida was wearing armor similar to another hero down Hosu probably. Kaminari seemed to wear more casual clothes akin to a civilian. Others looked more traditional like Kirishima's or Sato's. He glanced over to Bakugou and saw his was rather intimidating. A no sleeve top with baggy black pants and combat boots. Armored knee protectors and grenade shaped gauntlets.

He shivered at what purpose they could serve as many heroes have their costumes oriented to contain or sometimes enhance their quirks. Taking one more look, Mineta seemed to have a cape and bowl for pants and Todoroki...he seemed to have a whole terminator vibe going on with his red eye covering his left side. Though the ice covering seemed weird considering his quirk required his right side.

Izuku finally looked away from them and clutched the case close. Placing it on the bench, he opened it and his eyes brightened at the sight of it. He remembered the conversation about his costume before the design was sent off.

" _What do you mean it's idiotic?"_

" _I mean the costume is idiotic." Takahashi replied as he showed the original draft of the costume. "You expect me to believe that you've spent years planning your costume and the best you come up with is a green bunny!"_

 _Izuku blushed and turned away angrily. "It's not a bunny. It was supposed to be a parallel between me and All Might." He stammered._

 _He looked at his teacher and saw the deadpan expression on his face. He didn't say anything and pulled out a sketchbook. Tossing it over, Takahashi saw Midoriya flip through a bunch of the pages._

" _Huh." Izuku replied. Takahashi smirked proudly. "These aren't any good either."_

 _The sound of glass shattering played in the old man's ears. "These are way too militaristic and scary! I'm supposed to be a hero that inspires hope not a glorified military mascot!"_

 _The designs were boring and practical. Armor placement and basic combat fatigues resembled American soldiers. Even then it was dull on the eyes. Takahashi's eye twitched in annoyance as he pinched Izuku's cheek._

" _Such a mouth! I ought to remove that rude tongue of yours right now boy!" The two were going back and forth as Inko walked in on them with a cup of tea. She ignored their little feud as she looked at the contrasting designs. The two continued to argue behind while she grabbed Izuku's sketch and traced some of Takahashi's designs on it._

 _Izuku managed to get Takahashi to stop pinching his cheek, but then the old man put him in a headlock. "Apologize! Apologize right now!"_

" _No!" Izuku shouted back. The two felt this would last an eternity before a hand smacked a paper down on the table. They stopped and saw Inko giving them a confident smile._

 _Takahashi and Izuku studied the design when their eyes widened. Inko sat down and calmly drank her tea as her boys looked at her expectantly._

" _Well son, papa? What do you think?" She only ever called Takahashi "papa" when she believes him trapped. Takahashi's cheeks were brushed with a tint of pink as he walked off the design._

" _I will clean it up." He walked off as Izuku turned to his mother._

" _Not too much!" She winked at him and held out her hand in a high five. He gladly gave her one._

Midoriya sighed as he opened it and gazed at the contents inside. His smile only widened. "Let's do this!"

 _Outside the Testing Simulation_

The most of the class stood outside. Ochako and Momo looked around heard a few footsteps. She turned and saw Izuku walking in.

His suit was a two piece dark green suit with black accents traced over the limbs and sides of the torso. Knee pads and black cleats were placed over his legs and red shoes. A red utility belt was strapped around his waist while his arms had metal gauntlets over clean white boxing wraps. Finally around his face was cloth respirator and a simple green hood with two protruding tips.

"Hey guys!" He ran up to them and stopped. "Whoa you guys look…awesome."

The two noticed his blush and Momo felt more embarrassed as she noticed him trying not to make direct eye contact.

Ochako rubbed the back of her head embarrassed. "Well it's not as amazing as I wanted. They used skin tight spandex so it's a little hard to move in."

When Izuku turned to Momo, she turned away quickly. "I need the skin exposure or else all my clothes will torn whenever I use my quirk!"

"Hero course is the best." Mineta said. Midoriya agreed in his head, but turned around only to meet a bright outfit.

"Hey Midori, looking good!"

"Ah Ashido! You're costume looks…" He paused when he actually looked it. "Loud."

The pink girl blinked at the remark before pouting. She playfully slapped him as a result. "You're so mean Midori! How could you say such a thing!"

"Hey, hey, hey! I didn't mean it as an insult! It looks good I swear!" She snickered at his apologetic expression.

"Fine, you are forgiven." She winked at him. "Whoa your suit looks practical."

Midoriya flexed his suit as she said that, feeling a tiny bit of pride in it. "Well I wanted to stand out, but I needed some practical elements for my quirk. After all if I'm not carefully I could blow out a limb."

She nodded and noticed Momo and Ochako shooting rather odd looks at her. The pink girl looked confused when there was a loud laugh. All Might appeared holding a box.

"Good afternoon students! I hope you're all ready to begin! Now today's exercise is to see the combat potential you have against villains. Especially in a villains territory. While many battles have been fought in the streets, heroes must be prepared to fight villains anywhere within the shadows of our world. As such we will split each of you into a group of two and have two on two battles!"

Iida raised his hand. "This exercise, will it face the same consequences of expulsion like Mr. Aizawa said yesterday?"

"Do we choose our partners?"

"This cape is magnificent right?"

All Might sweat dropped as comical clenched his fist. "I haven't finished you zygotes! Let me finish!"

"Don't bother. You're going to look at the script anyways." The class almost jumped back at the bored voice and saw Takahashi appear out of nowhere. All Might tried to keep a straight face, but his smile was shaking a little. "Anyways, no one's going to be expelled, we choose your partners through a draw, and the cape is okay."

Aoyama, the hero who asked the cape question, kept his straight face on as 'hmphed'. All Might coughed and gestured at Takahashi. "Also today we'll be joined by our nurse Takahashi. In any case of injury, he'll be here to provide direct treatment afterwards also give commentary."

"I saw you all yesterday during class. You're pretty good." The class looked a little proud at that.

"Pretty good isn't enough to be great heroes. We expect your best got it." His eyes brightened as he shot a small glare at them.

' _Somehow he's even more scary than Mr. Aizawa!'_ Almost everyone thought. Midoriya twiddled his fingers as he looked at his two personal mentors. Momo saw that and put a hand on his shoulder.

All Might cleared his throat and pulled out a box. "Anyways we shall begin with finding out your partners. Each of you will reach in and grab a ball. Whoever matches your letter is your teammate!"

Everyone went up and eventually Izuku stepped forward. Reaching in, he pulled out a ball with the capital A on it. He looked around when Ochako waved at him. "Deku, I guess you and me are on a team!"

"Awesome!" He looked at Momo and almost snickered as she had a deadpan expression to having drawn the same letter as Mineta. Said Mineta was gazing at her boob window while "smoothly" talk to her. He put a hand on her shoulder and reassured her. This only lifted her spirits a little.

Finally when all teams were together as Takahashi stepped up. "Next is that we'll draw two letters from the box. White ball says you're heroes, black says you're villains. Got it?"

He reached in and pulled out two balls. A black A ball and a white D ball. The old man looked at the two before slightly grinning. Izuku knew that look as he called them out.

"Alright villain team one is Izuku Midoriya and Ochako Uraraka." They stepped up. "Hero Team, Tenya Iida and Katsuki Bakugou!"

The sound of glass shattering rang in Izuku's ears as he turned around and saw Bakugou looking at him with absolute murderous intent. Everything seemed to shift as the two locked eyes.

' _Alright a good fight from the get go. Maybe Izuku can show off his skills.'_ He thought before seeing the green boy shake. ' _Provided he gets over this fear.'_

"You heard what you are now villains into the building and heroes stay out here. The rest of us will head inside." Izuku and Ochako walked to the building, but the green boy looked back one more time to see a seething glare from Bakugou.

 _On the Top Floor_

"So we're villains. That kind of sucks. Right Deku?" Ochako said as she tapped the bomb.

"Yeah it does." He flexed his arm and took a deep breath. "But if we want to pass this test then we need to play the role of villain as best we can."

"But Deku...we're adorable!" Ochako giggled.

Deku laughed at that and looked at their reflections. ' _Well I can see why you'd think that. Although you're more adorable than me. Still we aren't exactly looking to scare others.'_

"Doesn't matter, we must do our best. Here Ochako let me know if this villainy enough." Deku sucked in some air and cleared throat. "Are you ready to kill some heroes?"

Ochako looked at him surprised and for a moment Deku felt his cheeks heat up. ' _Shit do I sound stupid? I should've-'_

"That's actually kind of scary Deku. Took me by surprise." Ochako admitted. Deku scratched his chin as he pondered on the others. "You'll definitely scare our opponents."

"W-Well when the exercise starts we'll need to focus on the task at hand. So I think the plan here is that you'll stay behind to defend the bomb while I'll head out and stall the heroes." Ochako gave a surprised look.

"But Deku isn't Iida and Bakugou our opponents? They had some high scores yesterday and they'll probably be better if they teamed up."

Deku smirked and tugged at his wraps. "That's where I think their weakness is. If they did team up, there would be no chance of either of us winning. However Kaachan is extremely prideful and will likely refuse any form of help from Iida. We'll have to exploit that and take them out there."

He sat down and crossed his legs. "But off chance they get past me then I have an idea what you can do with the bomb."

 _Meanwhile_

Iida was warming up his legs. "Alright our first exercise. Hard to believe that my first opponents starting my ascension to becoming a hero will have to be my two new friends."

"Really? You're friends with that damn nerd and his girlfriend? Whatever." Bakugou responded as he looked at the layout of the building. He adjusted his communication wire to his ear as Iida did the same. "Hey glasses."

"Hm?"

"Deku has a quirk right?"

Iida gave a confused look. "Of course he does. We all saw that amazing power he displayed at the exam. Why would you think he doesn't have a quirk?"

"It's because it's none of your damn business! The first we're gonna do is find that stupid nerd and I'll beat the shit out of him. You do what you need for that girl or bomb or whatever!" Bakugou barked. Iida rolled his eyes as he put on his helmet and readjusted as the timer for prep time was running.

The rest of class 1-A was standing in a monitor room. Takahashi was standing with his arms crossed as he looked at Izuku and Ochako.

"Class as we know, today's exercise is a combat simulation. In this scenario we have our two villains and two heroes. Heroes can win the exercise by either capturing the bomb or using the capture tape provided, catch the villains. The timer will be fifteen minutes." Takahashi said.

"Luckily the cameras have been upgraded with microphones. So we'll be able to roughly hear what they say."

As the counter finally buzzed, Deku got up and stretched his arms. His eyes were closed as he tried to sense either Iida or Bakugou. Finding them easily, he was about to leave the room when he turned to Ochako.

"We got this." She nodded as she touched a barrel. Deku closed the door behind him and ran down several floors before hiding in one of the rooms. With Bakugou and Iida, the two were breaking down each door.

One explosion after another, Bakugou looked more pissed. ' _Hide your quirk from me, huh? Were you looking down at me this entire time you bastard? Did you fake your strength in all our years through grading to middle?'_

An image of Bakugou standing on top of Midoriya flashed in his mind. Then he remembered the sludge incident and how Deku managed to get a decent hit on it before All Might saved him.

"DAMN IT!" He screamed as he blew up another door. Iida slowed himself down as to both escape Bakugou's furious temperament and to examine each room for clues.

Iida was walking past a broken when an arm popped out from the door frame and grabbed him by the collar. He yelped in surprised before he's pulled through the door. Tossed onto the floor, his helmet was knocked off and he saw Deku right on top of him.

"Sorry pal." He landed a solid punch against his temple, knocking him out. "I couldn't grab Kaachan right away, but this will do."

"Holy crap. That was brutal and unmanly! How could he sneak up on him like that!" A red haired Kirishima commentated. Mina winced at the punch, but was caught off guard by the cool face Deku had.

"Villains will take any advantage to win." Takahashi responded. The class turned to him. "They run on few morals and in a fight they'll use surprise attacks to get any ground on their enemies. Few villains ever run on an honor system. Remember that."

Momo stared at Takahashi as he made that statement. ' _He's a lot more intense than outside of school and he speaks like he's experienced these kinds of things.'_

Bakugou heard the struggle and ran over to see Iida unconscious. "What?"

"Surprise!" Deku dropped from the roof and knocked Bakugou down. The blonde was caught off guard before scrambling up to his feet. The green hero took the time to sweep kick him in the face. The metal cleat dug into his cheek and sent him into the wall. He got up scowling.

"Deku, you're dead!" However his threat was cut short as he saw the ludicrous grin on Deku's face. His body language was all loose and weird. "What are you-"

"Oh Kaachan, it's been awhile hasn't it. Come on let's play friend." Everyone in the class heard his tone and shivered slightly.

' _Young Midoriya passes the creepy villain role really easily. Makes me wonder what if he actually was one. I wonder where he got it from?'_ All Might thought. He looked at Takahashi and saw a similar cocky smirk on his face. ' _Never mind.'_

Bakugou shook off the initial shock and clenched his fists. He screamed out an insult, but it was interrupted by Deku planting his fist in his cheek. The blonde staggered back and felt something warm on his cheek. Gently poking it, he flinched at the pain and looked at his glove to see dark red blood.

' _Blood? BLOOD?! Did this damn nerd just cut me?!'_ He held out his palm and fired wildly. "STUPID DEKU, DIE!"

However out the corner of his eye he saw Deku running. Running on the wall and right towards him! He couldn't react fast enough as Deku kicked him in the face again. Stumbling back, Bakugou felt Deku throw all sorts of punches and kicks.

One punch to the cheek, a kick to the torso, and a solid uppercut to the chin rocked his world. He reacted violently and swung his arm. Deku raised his arms and caught it. He smirked at Katsuki before turning over and body slamming the blonde. Bakugou spat out some salvia as the wind was knocked out of him.

When he was on the ground, Deku powered his leg to a good 8% and kicked Katsuki. He went sailing into the wall and broke through it. Deku looked at the wall before grinning evilly.

"Not bad. Not bad at all." He chuckled. The class was stunned at the display.

"Wow. Midoriya is awesome!" Kaminari commented. "He's totally beating the stuffing out of Bakugou!"

"True, but do you see how he's acting. Never would've seen someone as plain as him have such a dark side." Jirou chimed in.

"And he hasn't used his quirk fully." They turned to see Momo watching the screen. "He only used it for that kick and besides that everything else has been just him."

' _Smart girl. She's able to pick up the signs of Izuku's quirk whether it be Chakra or One for All.'_ Takahashi thought.

The tailed teen Ojiro's jaw dropped. "No way. If we ever get the chance, I want to have a sparring match."

"You want to fight that?!" Mineta shouted. Ojiro nodded and Takahashi grinned at that declaration.

Momo stopped paying attention to their conversation and stared at the screen with an intense expression. She was tapping her finger against her arm as she watched the fight. ' _Damn, I knew Izuku was skilled. He took on those three bullies and beat so many robots in the exam. Seeing him in an actual fight with someone as violent as Bakugou though…"_

Katsuki got up and growled angrily. ' _What the fuck?! Where did all that skill come from? I remember before the sludge incident that this nerd couldn't lay a finger on me. Now I know he's been looking down at me!'_

"What's wrong Kaachan?" He moved his sight up and saw Izuku bouncing up and down with that cocky grin. "You're a hero right? Well aren't you supposed to stop villains like me?"

Bakugou gritted his teeth as tightly as he could when he fired off an explosion, sending him closer to Deku. The green haired boy powered up his arm and threw a small smash when Katsuki set off another explosion moving him above Deku.

' _What?'_ Deku and all the others who witnessed that thought before Katsuki blasted him in the back. He groaned in pain, but felt Katsuki grab him and slam him into the wall. The concrete cracked when he was pinned against the wall. Deku, undeterred, maneuvered his arm and smacked Katsuki on the side before reversing their position.

Entering a boxing stance, Deku began throwing straight punches. A few landed, but Bakugou saw through them and dodged one to land a solid hit to Deku's stomach. He gasped in pain when Katsuki opened his palm and fired off an explosion. That sent Deku flying across the hall.

"Whoa. Bakugou just totally came back into the fight!" Sato shouted.

"He acts like a thug, but he was able to use his explosions as a launch point to evade attacks and predicted Midoriya's punches." Todoroki said.

"And he knows how to control the intensity of the explosions given how the one he landed on Izuku. Clearly he's more adaptive to combat than most of us initially thought." Momo followed up on.

Takahashi gave a sly whistle. "It's impressive. Perhaps this boy is more talented than I gave credit for."

Deku sat up and winced in pain. He touched his stomach and saw the burn mark on his suit. It didn't break through the material, but it still hurt. He grinned as he felt his blood pumping faster through his veins. Bakugou walked in front of him with an evil grin.

"You're dead Deku!"

"Am I?" Deku slammed his hands into the ground grunting. A part of the concrete floor broke out as he lifted it up. Bakugou's grin faltered seeing the display of strength before Deku threw it. Reacting fast, he held out his hands and blew it up. It shattered apart to reveal Deku rushing in after the explosion.

He tackled the blonde and they tumbled to the ground. Rolling on the floor, they tried throwing a few punches. Some landed but they were weak. Finally Bakugou was on top of Deku. He grabbed his face and shoved it into the ground.

"Stay down you damn nerd." The green haired boy responded by hitting Bakugou's arms. It buckled and he followed it with a hard headbutt. Bakugou's nose spewed blood as he fell to the ground. Deku got up and ran to a corner. "Son of a bitch!"

' _God damn it. That was close. Kaachan's just as formidable as I thought.'_ He thought while trying to escape. Gaining some distance he closed his eyes to sense out his enemies. He was surprised to see Iida's position moving. Not only that it was getting closer to Ochako.

He tapped the radio in his ear. "Ochako, Iida's on his way to you. Block the doors."

"Got it!" She responded. Izuku sighed and slump against the wall. He touched his wound and winced at the burn. He took another look at it before looking around to see the closed metal windows.

"Deku! Come out here you bastard! You can't hide from me!" Bakugou shouted. Deku ran to one of the windows and slowly opened it. The metal creaked and he pushed it up to a slippable height. Crawling out the window, Deku formed a finger gun and aimed at the window a across.

He fired and it made a loud enough bang for Bakugou's attention. Deku dropped the metal covering and crawled outside the building. He heard an angry roar when he was outside.

"All Might, can he do that?"

"Of course. As long as Young Midoriya stays within the radius of the test building, he can climb the building all he wants."

Deku jumped from window to window until he reached the higher floor levels where the bomb was. Pulling up the metal covering, he entered the floor and sighed.

"Deku!" He turned and saw Ochako putting up most of the furniture on the ceiling. "How'd you get here?"

He shrugged. "Climbed up the building. You got something ready?"

She nodded and explained that it was a trap for either Iida or Bakugou if they entered. She'd drop the heavy barrels down to at least distract before touching them. Deku followed the plan and nodded. "That's a clever plan Ochako! They'll never see it coming."

"Thanks I-" Deku sensed something and raised his hand. She went quiet as he urged her to hide behind a column.

"...he got such a fast hit in. Has Tensei ever-no my brother wouldn't let himself be caught off guard. No, I shall do my best to defeat these villains!" Iida said. Deku and Ochako looked at each and he signalled her to get ready. The door opened and Iida was surprised.

"The bomb! What luck...but no villains. Did Uraraka leave with Midoriya? I didn't see her. Best to get the bomb right now before she can do anything!" Deku nodded and Ochako released her hold on the items. All the debris fell and trapped Iida. "What the?!"

Deku's expression changed as he put on a cocky grin. He clapped slowly as he walked out. "Well, well come here Ochako. We got a hero here."

Ochako followed up as Deku knelt down to Iida's level. "Clever of you to search while I fought your partner. I thought I knocked you out, but you must be made of sterner stuff. My bad."

Iida and Ochako shivered a little at the green haired hero as his tone and demeanor was really intimidating. "But this bomb is going off whether you like it or not."

"No! You will not have that bomb go off villain!" Iida got into the act and broke through the debris. He tackled Deku and pulled out his capture tape. "Because I will capture you right here, right now!"

"Ochako!" She grabbed a heavy wooden beam from the debris and made it weightless. Iida turned a little too late before she knocked him in the chest while breaking the beam in half. In that moment, Deku threw a hard punch and pushed him off. Ochako grabbed the capture tape before helping Deku up.

He grinned and they both bumped fist at their teamwork. Iida took off his helmet and looked at the two. He put up his fist as they circled each other. He dashed towards the bomb and suddenly Deku appeared in front of him in his green aura.

' _He's fast!'_ Iida raised his arm and blocked the punch. The metal groaned at the strength behind it. Iida threw his own punch and Deku caught it. They switched to grappling each other as Ochako moved to the bomb and made it weightless.

"I will admit villain you are an impressive fighter. It is a shame you would use such talents for petty causes instead aiming for justice!"

"Justice? Why fight for something as pathetic as justice! You are a fool hero."

' _They're really getting into it.'_ Everyone sweatdropped in the monitor thought.

The two growled at each other when the wall next to them blew up. Deku and Iida hit the floor. In the smoke, lumbering footsteps echoed into the room. With a wave of his hand, the smoke revealed Bakugou. He was shaking with unyielding rage.

"DEKU, YOU PIECE OF SHIT! YOU HAD THE NERVE TO RUN! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

Ochako ran over and helped Deku up to his feet. Iida got up and moved next to the blonde. "Hold it Bakugou. Midoriya is very skilled. Perhaps working together will be-"

"Piss off Gundam nerd!" Bakugou shouted before launching himself. Ochako handed Deku the capture tape. "Die!"

He caught Bakugou by the wrists and tied around it. "What hair color?"

The boy was slammed to the ground and Deku pinned him. "I think pink would be a nice color. Or maybe black, but not blonde. I think that's a little too much."

"Deku look out!" He looked up and saw Iida on top of him. He raised his arms in self defense when he took on a full on kick from the engine powered teen. He was sent flying off when Ochako caught him.

Iida held out his hand, but Bakugou smacked it away as he broke the capture tape. "Bastard."

"Alright Ochako it looks like we better get the bomb out of here. We have five more minutes before the exercise ends and I think these two will get desperate as we get closer."He raised his fingers behind him and aimed at the roof. With one blast, the ceiling was busted open. "Get going."

"But Deku if you stay, you'll likely be captured!"

"I prefer I get captured over them winning and getting to you." His eyes steeled with determination caught her eyes and made her blush. "Don't worry I'll be fine. Just follow the plan and we'll win."

"Got it!" She ran over to the bomb as Deku stood up. His arm was a little numb from the kick, but he shook some feeling back into it.

Iida got ready as he turned to Bakugou. "I'm serious. I'll follow your lead, but we have to work together."

Bakugou growled. "No you will stay out of this. Deku is mine! You just focus on getting the bomb while I destroy him!"

Their arguing got a sigh from Deku as he clenched his fists. He let out a low grunt and activated Full Cowling. Pink veins wrapped around him and sparked a similar colored lightning. He dashed towards them and hitting both of them at the same time.

He focused on Iida first and struck a four punch combo. Ending it with an overhead strike, he performed a back kick at Bakugou. Striking the gut, Bakugou showed a strained face as Deku put the tip of his finger against his chest and fired a small beam that knocked him back.

Iida grabbed Deku from the back in a full nelson. Bakugou got up and punched him in the gut. Deku coughed out some spit before kicking Bakugou away, hitting Iida with the back of his head to loosen his grip before breaking free and elbowing him in the face. He followed it with a chakra blast to the back. It burned to the metal and knocked the teen down.

The blonde explosion user charged with a mighty right hook when Deku caught it. Everyone was astounded when he headbutted the blonde, moved behind him, and suplexed him on top of Iida. All Might smiled a little more than he was at the display. ' _Amazing Young Midoriya! You're using what Takahashi and I trained fantastically!'_

' _Don't let up. I can tell Bakugou's getting desperate.'_

Deku panted as he rolled back. Looking back, he saw Ochako placing the bomb on the roof. She was a little shaky and looked a little nauseous. He grinned when Bakugou got up absolutely seething. "Deku."

He turned and saw the blonde's gauntlets be aimed just to the right of him. He got into a stance as Bakugou grinned evilly. "If those costume designers developed my costume as I asked then these gauntlets store a bunch my sweat into the tip of these."

Deku's eyes widened at the information. "Wait! Kaachan, no don't fire it here!"

"Too late!" He pulled the pin. Deku prepared to dodge when he turned to see Ochako, who was looking so sick, fall down the ceiling hole.

Bakugou's eyes widened as Ochako came into his firing area. The pin was already pulled and his reaction speed wasn't fast enough to move the gauntlet. Deku's instincts flared when he saw what was about to happen. His legs moved on their own as he moved in front of Ochako.

' _This is gonna hurt.'_ That was his last thought. The two were engulfed and everyone was treated to the sight of the flames consuming them.

"Izuku, Uraraka!" Momo screamed as the others just gasped at the explosion.

Takahashi clenched his fists. "Damn it boy."

A few seconds passed as the smoke settled. Bakugou was shell shocked to see the results as Iida blown to the side. The dust settled to show Ochako was covered in dust with a bit of blood on her face. Muscles straining when she opened her eyes. She opened them to see Izuku lying on her chest with burns all over him.

The class got the better view and saw Midoriya's left arm was a mangled mess. Limp and badly burnt with bits of skin turned black. Momo wanted to scream in anguish, but her responsibility as a hero took over. Takahashi ran to the door.

"All Might end the match and let Takahashi get in there! We need to get-" She was stopped when they heard harsh breathing. Not from the other students, but from Deku. All Might and Takahashi's pupils almost shrunk at the complete disbelief as Deku pulled himself up off the ground. They got a full view of him with his costume torn in half revealing his muscled torso.

Something was wrong. Takahashi could sense a well of power rising in Midoriya as he got up. "What?"

Pushing up on one hand and then onto his knees, he slowly rose. Bakugou made a strangled noise of bafflement as Deku got onto his feet.

"Oh my God, Midoriya." Tooru whispered.

Mina put her fists against her chest as she saw him stand. "Midori."

"That guy took on such a blast head on. How powerful is he?" Kirishima commented. The others were on the same boat as Deku turned to Bakugou.

"N-Not bad Kaachan. It actually stung." He was taking in every breath he could as his left arm dangled. Bakugou's terror slowly turned to anger. "W-What the hell Deku?!"

Deku didn't respond as clenched his right hand into a fist and held it up towards Bakugou. "What? You think just because you slightly burned my arm means I'm out of this fight? Come at me. Come on fight me. Hurry. Hurry!"

Green sparks covered Deku as he stared down at his opponents. His eyes were fierce and menacing. All Might's jaw almost dropped when he saw him goading Bakugou. The boy being challenged slowly clenched his fists.

"I won't stop...not until...I win." Deku gasped out.

"Deku." He said in his coldest voice. "DEKU!"

Midoriya was shaking, but when he tightened his fist his aura burst forward.

A horn went off and the two looked surprised to the point that the green aura was dropped. "Exercise Complete: Hero Team Wins!"

Ochako looked behind Bakugou and saw Iida touching the bomb. The blast blew the roof completely open and the bomb dropped back into the room. And Iida only needed to move a few paces to touch it. Bakugou turned and saw it too when Midoriya felt his balance finally waver. Ochako ran up and caught him in her arms. He passed out almost immediately.

The class was silent as Takahashi opened the door.

A few minutes after the match, Midoriya was brought into the monitor room. Bakugou, Iida, and Ochako were standing aside as Takahashi pointed his fingers at them. Three blue blasts hit them and outlined their bodies. Each one felt their strength return and injuries heal up. The entire class looked astonished by the display as Takahashi focused on Midoriya.

Holding his hand over him, blue energy poured out of his palm and over the worst injuries. Slowly the skin and muscles damage slowly reversed itself as Takahashi began to use two hands. Bakugou watched all the damage done to Izuku fade. He sighed in relief, but was caught off guard by Takahashi's glare.

Stopping, Takahashi put a blanket over Midoriya and turned to the class. All Might wanted to say something, but before he did the old man was on top of Bakugou. He grabbed the blonde's wrist and let his cold fury out.

"What're yo-"

"Silence." Bakugou automatically shut his mouth. "This was meant to be a training exercise. This means you were not allowed to pull out such deadly force against a fellow student. I know you didn't directly aim at either of them, but even in that scenario you were supposed to be a hero who tries to minimize the property damage for both yours and the villain's sake. Instead you were rash, insubordinate, and out of control. This will not stand."

He let go of Bakugou's wrist. "You fire a weapon like this at another student and you'll get a far worse punishment than a lowered grade. If Izuku didn't use his quirk, his blood would be on your hands. Remember that, boy."

All Might stepped up and patted Bakugou on the shoulder when the boy had a frozen expression on display. Takahashi sighed as he opened the door. "I'm going to take him to Recovery Girl. I'll see you after class. Call if there's any other serious injuries."

"So who was the MVP of this battle?" No one raised their hand for a minute but eventually Momo raised her hand. "Yes?"

"Izuku, I believe was the MVP." All Might raised an eyebrow. "He was the one who systematically dismantled Iida and manipulated Bakugou to stop the two from working together. If they were, then despite Izuku's skill or Ochako's cleverness with her quirk, the heroes would still pull a cleaner victory. Not to mention he was trusting enough in Uraraka's skill to devise a trap for them if they were to find the bomb. Bakugou was too eager for a fight, Iida's head first approach held him back before pulling the victory, and Uraraka was only second because of Izuku's tactics."

' _Geez, I knew these students were bright, but they exceeded my expectation.'_ All Might though. "Of course good answer. Now we'll begin our next exercise and for those worried about Young Midoriya have no fear! I believe with Takahashi and Recovery Girl working on him, he'll be fine!"

 _In the Nurse Office_

"Goodness Gracious he took what on?!" Recovery Girl.

"Just kiss his wounds. I cleaned up most of the damage." Takahashi said. "The boy looked like a burnt marshmallow."

"What?!"

"Nothing!"

 _Monitor Room_

"Just fine." All Might repeated. Momo didn't look so sure, but her duties of a student had to come first. A concerned friend will wait for Midoriya when he got back to class. She glanced over and saw Ochako looking even worse than her.

Class went on and soon All Might was running down the halls as his time went out. He closed the door to the nurse's room when he slammed the door shut. His buff form gave away and his skinny form recovered.

"That was close." All Might turned to Takahashi and Recovery Girl. Midoriya laid on the bed with wraps around his arm. "So how bad is it?"

"Not as bad as it could've been. The material of the boy's suit played a good bit in protecting him."

"Also I saw in the camera footage, he activated his chakra to save himself and the girl. It's a good thing otherwise this arm would be completely destroyed." All Might spat out some blood at the news as Midoriya opened his eyes.

Takahashi and All Might were at his side as he got up. "G-Guys? All Might? What happened?"

"You're lucky. You took a blast from Katsuki that would've destroyed your arm if it wasn't for your abilities." He put his hand on Izuku's shoulder. "You acted recklessly."

"B-But Ochako was in the way. It would've killed her if I didn't!"

Takahashi didn't drop his look as All Might patted him on the back. "He's right. My boy made the heroic decision to save his friend and embodying the essence of a true hero."

The old man sighed and stood up. "Maybe, but still. Acting like this can become self destructive if you're not careful. Find ways to save others and yourself or the next heroic act may be your last."

He left the room and All Might shivered. "Cold."

"Maybe." Recovery Girl and Izuku said. "That's because he cares." They looked at each other surprised before Recovery Girl smiled and passed him a snickers. Izuku's eyes brightened at the treat and ate it greedily.

She handed him his uniform and quickly changed out with All Might helping him change.

"Now that you're better, you should head back to class." Izuku got up to his feet and had to steady himself before walking off. Recovery Girl went over to a table and pulled out the charred remains of the costume. All Might looked at it and rubbed the back of his head.

A few minutes later, Izuku opened the door to the class and was surrounded.

"Whoa you're back. That was totally manly I'm Ejiro Kirishima!"

"You know how to handle yourself out there. That was pretty cool."

The others surrounded him when Ashido pulled him in for a hug. "Ah Midori! You're ok! I was so worried when you got hurt!"

"I-I'm fine Ashido." He tried to ignore the soft sensation against his cheek.

"You can me Mina if I get to call you Midori!" She said as she pulled him in. "By the way, I gotta admit you looked so cool when you were out there fighting. Almost a contrast to you joking or being a shy boy."

Midoriya couldn't directly respond as he was blushing red when he saw Kaminari and Ochako walk in. He politely broke the hug and went to Ochako, moving past Momo as she was trying to get past the crowd.

Ochako blushed when she saw Midoriya approach her. "D-Deku! You're doing better!"

"Yeah, they know how to fix me up real good. Pretty sure my arm was a burnt steak when it happened." He notice her flinch at the joke and stopped smiling. "Hey look it's not your fault I got my arm. You didn't pull the pin."

She looked at her feet with some shame as Izuku moved closer and patted her head. "Seriously don't worry about it. You can just save me next time."

Ochako turned a deep shade of red when she saw the sunset hit him just right to go along with the bright smile he was putting up. "O-Okay. If you say so Deku."

Momo watched the exchange and almost clenched her heart in jealousy. However just seeing Izuku reaffirm his friend was more than enough to push it away for now. She let out a sigh of relief when Midoriya's mind made him suddenly look up.

"Hey has anyone seen Bakugou?"

"I think he left not too long ago." Kirishima answered. Izuku backed off as he went to the door.

"Be right back!" He dashed off and Momo ran to the door to see how fast he running. Iida noticed too.

"No running in the halls!" Iida shouted before giving up when Izuku disappeared around the corner.

Near the school gate, Bakugou was hearing Takahashi's voice repeat that lecture over and over. ' _If Izuku didn't use his quirk, his blood would be on your hands.'_

"My...hands?"

"Kaachan!" He stopped and looked to see Midoriya walking up to him. "Hey wait up."

"What the hell do you want Deku?!"

The green boy held up his hand as he tried to catch his breath. "Sorry. I just wanted to say...congratulations on winning the combat exercise! I thought I trained enough to stand up to you, but clearly I need to train harder to step up to you."

"EH!" The blonde almost reeled at the praise. Izuku clearly handed him his ass over the exercise and besides a few good hits, the only hit that put him down almost killed him. Yet he stands here and praises him. "What the hell are you playing at Deku!"

"Nothing. I just wanted to say I need to train harder and make these gifts my own to really beat you." Bakugou looked at the boy, confused at his wording. "Gifts"? As if they weren't his in the beginning.

"I...I didn't beat you." Izuku looked confused when he saw Bakugou almost crying as he looked at him. "I don't know what you mean by gifts. I don't give a fuck about that! I want you to know that I couldn't give less of a shit of your false praise! We both know I could barely get a finger on you."

"My gut disagrees."

That dense expression pissed off Bakugou more. "YOU KNOW WHAT THE HELL I MEAN! I MAY HAVE WON THE EXERCISE IN CLASS, BUT I LOST FIGHTING YOU ONE ON ONE! I'LL ACCEPT THIS LOSS JUST KNOW THAT NEXT TIME WE FIGHT, WE'LL DEFINITELY KNOW WHO'S NUMBER ONE!"

Izuku tilted his head before smirking at the challenge. "We'll call it a tie then. Next fight will break it."

"WHATEVER AND FUCK YOU!" He turned around and left. The two didn't know about someone watching over them.

Izuku sighed as he turned and saw Momo just arriving. "Momo?"

"Hello Izuku. Is...your arm feeling better?" He nodded and she smiled. "Well I know you must be tired from Recovery Girl's treatment. Would it be too much to help you walk back."

The boy noticed that he was feeling a lot more tired as he nodded. She held out her arm and he latched onto it. They walked off as Takahashi was leaning against a tree. His hands were in his pockets as took out a flask.

"For a second I thought he was about to spout something about Chakra or One for All. Good thing Katsuki didn't notice. Those two actually made me want to drink." He looked at the flask before stealing a quick sip. "Can't be drunk, but a buzz will help."


	12. Chapter 12

The next day, Midoriya found himself walking to school for the first time. Takahashi had to leave early because the principal called for him and that made him leave a bit earlier. Though when he got off the train, Izuku found himself taking a detour and climbing up the buildings nearby.

Free running really relaxed his mind and the wind in his ears when jumping across was exhilarating. Especially when his arm was still a little sore from the next day. However one thing that was still gnawing at him was what his classmates said.

" _Dude, how did manage to get it up from Bakugou's attack?" Kirishima asked. When Momo walked him back to class some of his new classmates wanted to know what happened at that time._

" _Yeah you got up like a man possessed. You were sparking a little like Kaminari, kero." Asui, the frog girl, commented. Momo gave him an aside glance to show her interest in it as well._

He didn't give them an answer as he had no idea that he got up from Bakugou's attack. All he knew was that it hit and that Recovery Girl was passing him snickers while Takahashi lectured him. The green boy hopped off a ladder and landed in the alleyway closest to the school.

He looked at his hand while walking, curious and a little worried, thought about the depth of his new power. One for All seemed basic enough and required him to build his body to withstand 100% of it. It didn't have any other extraordinary abilities to take note of. However Takahashi has made it a point that his chakra is an extensive arsenal.

"Maybe later today I'll ask Takahashi." He mumbled to himself as he entered the school grounds. Only to bombarded by reporters. ' _Oh God there's so many people!'_

"You're a U.A student! How's it feel to have All Might as your teacher?"

"Can you give us insight on who is past the smile?"

"Which branch are you in?"

Izuku sighed with a hint of annoyance. He put on a loopy smile and turned to the camera. "Oh my God reporters! Hi, I'm Izuku Midoriya from the Business Branch and I would-"

Every reporter drew back their microphones and cameras as they looked for a new target. He blinked at how fast they left him and suddenly felt a little bad for any business students that tried to talk to the reporters.

 _Later_

Everyone sat patiently as Aizawa entered the class. "I've gotten the reports from All Might on yesterday's exercise. These results are adequate. I would continue on some of the incidents."

Bakugou stiffened. "But I was told that the actions were already reprimanded. Do not let me hear such things happening again." The blonde relaxed a little.

The class sighed as Aizawa leaned in closer. "However today, we'll be tackling another issue. It's important."

' _ANOTHER TEST?'_ Everyone said in fear and exhaustion.

"It's time to pick a class representative." The class relaxed at the normal school activity before the energy picked up at the thought. Class representative's were looked upon as a reflection of the class and are the perfect stepping stones to earning higher leadership positions.

Everyone started volunteering and Izuku just kinda raised his hand. It was getting a little chaotic when Iida stood up. "We will never gain our representative this way! I propose we use a democratic system to decide who will lead."

' _You were raising your hand the highest.'_ Everyone thought.

"Can we really do that? We've barely known each other for the past few days, kero." Tsuyu said.

It didn't really matter as Aizawa allowed such a thing as he wanted to know before lunch began. The class each got a slip of paper and Midoriya looked at his. His pen was about to write his own name when he stopped.

' _It would awesome if I got chosen, but I do want to choose who's better.'_ He looked at Iida. ' _Iida's very diligent and committed. Coming ten minutes early before class and can even call attention to class.'_

Then he turned to Momo. ' _On the other hand, Momo is just as diligent and committed to the cause. She's mature and could have such a handle on things. Plus she's extremely caring.'_

He blushed a little at how comforting she was when he was at his lowest point to when they got their results. ' _I may be biased, but I think Momo should earn the job.'_

As the votes were being tallied everyone was surprised to look at the results. Three vote for one Momo Yaoyorozu and three votes for Izuku Midoriya.

"What?!" Midoriya exclaimed.

"Who the hell voted for that nerd!" Bakugou asked angrily. Sero gave a snappy response to him which lead to the blonde's anger finding another target. Midoriya looked dumbfounded at the results as he tried to find the people who voted for him.

Aizawa got up and looked at the results. "What a pain. Yaoyorozu, Midoriya. You two will decide who gets the job of class representative. I expect an answer at the end of lunch today. Now let's begin our general education lesson plans."

Everyone focused, but Izuku still felt an immense pressure coming from the implied position.

After class Izuku told his new friends that he'd join them soon, but he needed to take care of something. Momo watched him go as she pulled out two boxes out of her bag. In the meantime, Izuku walked down to the nurse's office and opened the door to see Takahashi reading something.

The nurse was reading the notebook the green boy leant him as he noticed Izuku at the doorway. "Shouldn't you be at lunch."

"Oh I was on my way, but I need your advice." Takahashi raised an eyebrow as Midoriya stepped in. "I was recently tied in a vote to be class representative with Momo. I'm thinking of giving her that position."

"Oh my. With Momo? You must be thinking to give to her as a sign of good will." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively which made the boy blush.

Midoriya shook his head. "That's not it! It's just...she's more than capable of handling the position. I just think with every one of my actions now having more weight recently...that maybe I'm not the best one to be responsible. Do you think I should pass it on?"

"Does it frighten you?" Takahashi asked. Izuku got a confused look on his face as Takahashi snapped his fingers in front of his eyes for him to pay attention. "Responsibility?"

"A-A little. I never really led a class before and I'm thinking people like Momo or Iida could lead better." Izuku was rolling on the balls of his feet as he looked away from the old man. "I mean be honest wouldn't you vote for them?"

It must've been quite the whiplash for him. One year he's one of the kids that's almost forgotten, the next he's been chosen to be the class representative of a class from an elite hero school. Still...

Takahashi shook his head. "No, I would vote for you. Did you forget that you aim to be the Number One Hero? Even if it isn't an official position in government or law enforcement, people will look up to you, listen to you. Take this position and lesson to heart as strength should do more than fight, it should aspire loyalty and hope for others."

"But why me? Outside of my goal, what did I do to earn it."

The old man bopped him on the forehead. "If I had to guess, it would've been your display of leadership skills with Uraraka. Your classmates saw that you can fire her up and inspired her to fight at her very best despite facing Bakugou and Iida. Not to mention you were willing to have yourself capture before she was. In admirable quality to have at the very least."

Takahashi pulled out his lunch and looked at Izuku. "Any other questions? If not you can go to lunch."

"So is there anything else deeper in Chakra?" Izuku asked.

"Hm?"

"I mean you say it's our own literal energy. Has it ever changed you?"

Takahashi puckered his and smacked his lips at the question. "If you're talking about the mental abilities and the philosophies of which people turn to from, yes. All the time, but I'm guessing you mean like transformations similar to those Shounen shows."

He took Midoriya's silence as a yes. "It's rare but possible."

"Really?" He perked up at that. "Are you gonna teach me those?"

The old man shook his head and patted Izuku on the head. "I wouldn't count on it. Those types of power ups are dependant on the person in general and can not be taught through. Besides I doubt with only about a year of serious training could you attain the power needed to activate such a change. We can visit this topic again later. For now why don't just focus on choosing who gets to be class rep. And eat well. You look like a starved wolf."

 _Lunch Room_

Izuku got his lunch and looked around to see his friends. His mind was still on choosing the best choice and so far it seems he would still go with Momo. He can inspire, sure, but the class needs something more. Scanning around, Izuku was surprised to see Momo waving at him. She gestured him to sit down to which he gladly complied. "Good afternoon possible class rep."

"And to you as well." He sat down and took a sip of water. "So...who gets the job?"

The rich girl pondered on that. "Well that is a tough question. I mean I was surprised to get three votes. Then again we both probably already had one from voting for ourselves."

"I didn't vote for myself. I voted for you." Momo just froze for a second upon hearing that. "I did want the job for myself don't get me wrong, but I thought it over and decided you were the best. With how mature and composed you are, you could lead the class."

"Wh-What?!" She suddenly felt an arrow of guilt stab her chest at his confession. "But I can see why you got three votes. I mean during the exercise you managed to Uraraka and the others fired up during yesterday's exercise. Being a class rep, I think someone like you could lead us well."

"Counterpoint. When we first met you managed to pull me out of a deep rut. That kind of action could spell many things."

The girl almost her hands on the table. "Counter-Counterpoint! You, Izuku Midoriya, carry an impressive drive, determination, and will to go through what life throws at you. You have a natural hero's spirit to follow!"

The two almost seemed to be in each other's faces as Midoriya tried to reason with her.

"You can be very intimidating! I saw you scare those bullies at the playground!"

"Izuku, your intelligence on quirks and strategies can be a big asset to everyone!"

"You're smarter than me!"

People who paid any attention could almost see passionate sparks as the two continued to argue why the other should lead. They went back and forth for another minute describing what they saw admirable when they both hit their last remark.

"The class could use someone cute/beautiful to look up to and support!" They both yelled. Lightning seemed to have struck them both as they registered each other's word. Midoriya turned neon red with Momo doing the same. They turned from each other, embarrassed.

' _C-Cute?! She thinks I'm cute!'_

' _D-Damn it Izuku, how can you say b-b-b-beautiful?!'_ They looked at each other for a second before Izuku quickly stuffed his face with the lunch he bought. It was a bit excessive, but he had the money to buy extra. However it disappeared quickly and Izuku could still feel his stomach rumbling.

Hearing that, Momo leaned over to the side and pulled out a package she carried with her to school. She held up a second bento box. "I knew you would get hungry again. Here."

"Momo." He said with sparkling, grateful eyes. He opened up and saw fried katsudon with a healthy side of vegetables, rice, and fruit. "You knew I was hungry?"

She grabbed a pair of chopsticks and picked up a piece of pork. Holding it up, she smiled. "I saw how much food your mother made. I deduced that this amount should be sufficient. Here. Say ah."

"Ah." He said before Momo fed it to him. A moment passed when fireworks were going off in his mouth. The meat practically melted in his mouth as he was shivering in pleasure. "Oh my God, this is heavenly! Did you make this?"

She blushed at that and was swiftly reminded that she didn't cook it. "I...I didn't. I asked my chefs to do it."

"Still you took time to make me one. You really shouldn't have." She didn't respond, but held up another piece of meat. He eagerly ate it as she felt at peace with feeding him. Momo wanted this moment to last forever. Unfortunately...

"Midori!" The moment was shattered by that nickname as Momo's eyes went blank and Izuku pulled away to see Mina, Iida, Tooru Hagakure and Ochako looking at him. Mina had a sly grin on her face, Iida didn't look too phased, she couldn't read Hagakure's face, but Ochako had a different expression. The rich girl could almost sense...jealousy? "Look at you two class reps getting all chummy. Yaoyorozu must be bribing you to have the position."

"What?!" Momo screamed as she pushed the bento box and Izuku away. Mina and Hagakure giggled at the action and her flustered expression. "N-N-No! You got the wrong idea!"

"Yaoyorozu for shame! A class representative candidate should not bribe another with luxurious foods. Bribery is highly looked down upon!"

"I'm not bribing, I'm just having lunch with my friend!" Her face was now a deeper shade of red that also showed her lack of composure. She calmed down real quick and tried to keep herself that way. "I-I simply made a second lunch for Izuku's benefit. This was not bribery."

Ochako blinked as she turned to see Izuku trying to maintain his balance with the bento box being held in his hand. She couldn't help, but spit out in laughter at the sight. Mina still had her sly grin on when Ochako went to help him up.

They all sat down and Momo looked a little dejected as Izuku began to eat up the rest of bento box. "Thank you Momo. I am grateful."

"Don't be. Next time you can get me something." She said before looking away again. Izuku nodded before turning to the lunch he bought. It didn't stand a chance.

The group looked at Midoriya as he was finishing his second helping of lunch. "You must be hungry."

"Yup! Ever since yesterday, I've been super hungry. My quirk really eats up a lot of power. So in turn I do too." He ate a bit faster until a bit of rice went down the wrong pipe. He comedically choked on his food while Iida panicked and led Izuku away to get a drink. The girls laughed before Mina saw them move out of earshot. She turned fast on Ochako and Momo with a mischievous grin.

"Oh no." Tooru said as she recognized that smirk.

"So which one of you is going to ask out Midori?" The two girls looked blankly at her before blushing. "And don't you deny it. I've seen how red he makes you two. Especially you, Uraraka, when he patted your head."

"Whoa, whoa he was just trying to make me feel better after the exercise! I was embarrassed!"

Momo hummed in agreement and sipped her tea when Mina turned her attention to the rich girl. "And you had your eyes glued on Midori during the entire exercise and started mumbling under your breath about it."

"That proves nothing. Everyone was watching the fight."

"I also know you were blushing like crazy when he complimented you and said you should've been the chosen representative." Momo's blush returned, but she tried to keep her cool as Mina leaned in a bit closer. "I think people could hear your heartbeat faster when you tried to get him to sit with just you. That second bento was something you planned to feed too, isn't it?"

Momo could feel all her defenses crumble at that accusation. She knew how his appetite was when they had dinner together. And given how she found about his favorite food, she had the cooks make it for her in another bento box.

Before Mina could press on even further, Iida and Midoriya returned. "So Iida you voted for me."

"Of course. I would not be doing myself or the class a favor if I chose myself out of selfish desire. I must always be truthful and choose who I think if right for the place."

"Yeah that's the same reason I voted for you Deku!" Ochako chimed in. "I feel like I can follow you anywhere if need be."

She regretted those words as Mina looked devishily at her. Midoriya rubbed the back of his head. "Really? Thanks Ochako. Though I wonder who was my third voter?"

He glanced over and saw Mina's cheeky grin. "That's right Midori. I got you your third vote. Guess I have a thing for guys who make me laugh."

Midoriya blushed at that while Ochako and Momo felt a wisp of jealousy stir in their hearts as Mina gave Izuku some weird gazes. "And worry. You should've seen her Midoriya. The girl was clutching at her heart as she saw you fight."

Finally, the calm and controlling demeanor Mina's been keeping had finally been broken as she blushed. Midoriya tilted his head innocently at her change as Mina turned to her invisible friend.

"Of course I was worried! Who wouldn't?" Mina felt her heartbeat fast as she remembered the fight. The way Deku controlled the fight, that relaxed demeanour. Different from his shy face and joking attitude. A man who does all of those are cool. Very cool. She shook her head as she turned to Izuku, but also noticing the auras around Momo and Ochako looking more menacing.

Izuku quickly changed the subject. "Oh Iida, I noticed your costume bears a lot of similarities to the hero Ingenium."

Ochako stopped looking menacing as she remembered something else. "Oh yeah. Isn't such a suit for a costume expensive? Iida are you a rich boy?"

' _No filter, huh?'_ Everyone thought as Iida cleared his throat.

"Yes. I am financially stable and yes I know my costume resembles Ingenium very well because I am his little brother!" He looked so proud. "I've come to U.A to follow in his footsteps and become a hero as great as he is!"

Izuku's eyes shined up as he began to fanboy. The girls just watched him go off until an alarm rang. That cut off the conversation as the students looked up and found out that it was a level three breach. Pandemonium began.

In the lounge room, Takahashi was having lunch with All Might, Midnight, and Aizawa. The latter not taking his afternoon lunch. The three staff members ate quietly while All Might had some tea.

"So what can you actually do Takahashi?" The question came out of nowhere as All Might almost choked on his drink from his unexpected question. "Clearly you're capable of much more than healing. Given the fact you were able to run up to Bakugou along with me."

The old man looked at the stoic ninja. "Why is this so important?"

"Well we here at U.A would expect a 100% honest relationship between the staff and the principal. And last I checked, healing hands doesn't grant its user with super speed." Takahashi stared at man before taking a sip of water.

"Hold on Aizawa we can't just-" Midnight started before the same alarm from the lunchroom rang throughout. The teachers ran outside with Aizawa, Present Mic, and Takahashi outside first.

It was a bunch of reporters. "We just want one answer. Just tell us if All Might is in here!"

"One quote is all we need." They begged.

Takahashi sighed. "Good grief. If we speak then they'll just ask more and more. We can't give them an inch."

"Smart thinking. We'll hold the line till the police comes. And no Mic we cannot attack them for trespassing. The PR smears will drag us down in the long run." Mic closed his mouth as they waited.

Meanwhile, the students were still panicking. Izuku found himself almost being trampled by other teens trying to escape. "Good grief, we'll die out here. What's going on?"

Iida looked out the window and saw reporters. "Midoriya, it's reporters! The media is the one who entered the campus, not villains!"

Before Midoriya could respond, an elbow hit him in the gut and sent him tumbling back. He hit something soft and turned to Momo, who was blushing. He didn't respond right away to the soft sensation his head was against as he saw Ochako being pulled ahead. He needed her to help him.

"Ochako, make me weightless!" She looked confused before nodding. Reaching over she grabbed his hand. He felt his mass disappear as he turned to Iida and Momo. "Now you two, throw me across!"

The two went to his side and pushed as hard as they could with the crowd. Midoriya finally rose above the crowd, but didn't get any momentum. He looked down and saw Momo. "Create a staff! Hurry!"

She realized his plan and held out her palm. Her hand began to sparkle before a metal stuff jutted out towards Midoriya. He held his palm out and caught it. She pulled back and lunged forward. Midoriya went with the force of it and flew over the crowd. Finally hitting the wall, he grabbed the top of the door to stabilize himself.

' _Alright, alright. What can I do to get everyone's attention?'_ He remembered his visit with Takahashi and him snapping his fingers in his face. ' _That should work, but how much power? I could damage the walls and the ears of the students nearby. Fuck it 10% should be enough.'_

"What's Midori doing?" Mina asked. As everyone started to get even crazier, Midoriya held his fingers above his head and charged One for All through his fingertips.

Snapping his fingers caused a loud sound to echo throughout the lunchroom. Everyone looked up and saw Midoriya above them all.

"Everyone calm down! It's just the media! No need to act like a bunch of pissants in front of the camera! We're U.A. students so let's show them how calm we are even in situations like these!"

Everyone stared at Midoriya before calming down. The crowd started to calm down and slowly dispersed. The green boy sighed as Ochako released him. He didn't realize it fast enough and gravity did its thing.

"SON OF-!" He face planted. "Ow."

"Holy crap Midori that was so cool!" Mina said as she and Tooru helped him up. He scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Eh, I just hope no one takes the pissants line seriously. Wouldn't want that biting me in the ass." Mina giggled and let go of his arm. Momo was watching the entire thing and smiled. The decision was made.

 _After Lunch_

With the whole fiasco over lunch now gone, Class 1-A was looking at their new class representatives. Momo leaned over. "I'll make the announcement."

"Oh. Really?" She winked at him as she stepped forward. ' _Huh, looks like she went with my idea of choosing her as the class representative.'_

"After careful discussion, I've decided to step aside and become the class vice representative to help our main one, Izuku Midoriya." The green boy's jaw dropped as Momo said that. The class seemed to murmur in agreement with Bakugou growling at the news.

"W-Wait."

"Too late. Midoriya, you're class rep and Momo will be Vice Rep. You have a problem with that, step outside. We're not gonna waste anytime. You all need to get ready for today's hero exercise. Although in your case Midroiya, your costume is being repaired. Change into the gym outfit for today." Aizawa ordered. The class got up as Momo and Izuku were the last to go. She picked up her costume case and winked at Midoriya.

He just stood there in shock before calming down with a resigned expression. "If you trust me then I'll do my best"

Takahashi stood outside the gate and was watching the police escort any remaining bits of the media. He sighed at the trouble before turning to the door. Nezu and Power Loader were examining the wall as he knelt down to look at the gate.

"A rust quirk?" He asked.

"Possible, but the metal has completely fallen. It's like dust." Nezu looked out the gate with the most serious expression he's worn in a while. "Was this the media's attempt at entrance or could've this been a declaration of war?"

Neither Power Loader or Takahashi answered the principal, but one thing Takahashi did notice was a fleeting presence. Only it was a lot colder than anyone else's. A feeling he's all too familiar with whenever he was around villains.

"Nezu, I would keep an ear to the ground. Bold moves like this insinuate something far more dangerous." Takahashi stood up as he looked at the two. "If there's another sign we should let the others know."

"Agreed. Villains, if anything, will want to see heroes like us falter." Nezu turned around and walked off. Power Loader followed while Takahashi took one last look.

"Hey Izuku, where's your costume?" Momo asked. Everyone was outside waiting for the bus for today's hero exercise.

The subject was wearing the traditional U.A. gym garb with only one set wraps and a gauntlet on him. "Oh my costume suffered a lot of damage yesterday so the only thing I could take with me was my right handed armor."

"I see." Everyone else wore their costumes. "Well I'm sure it'll be patched up."

"Maybe anyways everyone onto the bus!" Midoriya said.

Iida proclaimed. "We should fill in our assigned seats!"

Midoriya glanced in and noticed the seating. He tapped Iida on the shoulder and pointed at the inside. The teen found himself on his hands and knees in a depressive stance after seeing how it was arranged. The green boy just patted him on the head to get him up while everyone else boarded.

Takahashi was working on a few the medical files in the nursing room when he sensed Class 1-A's energy slowly fade. "Guess I was right. The USJ is just outside of my current range. And furthering it would be an unnecessary headache."

The class was riding the bus with some conversations popping up. Midoriya kept looking at the ceiling when Tsu brought something up. "Speaking of quirks, kero, Midoriya you seem to have an interesting one."

"Huh?"

"Well you clearly have an emitter quirk, but you use it like a strength enhancement. Also it feels different when use energy and punch things." Midoriya pondered on that and glanced at his hand. A different feeling between those two things. It made sense in some way, but still…

"Great you got him mumbling." Bakugou said and pulled Midoriya out of his head. He turned and looked at some of his classmates who were a bit astounded at him.

"Oh sorry. I just happen to give a different feeling with each move cause I'm controlling it. Otherwise if I don't I'll get real tired and/or break my a limb." He wiggled his middle finger that long since healed.

"I guess." The conversation changed again until the arrived at the USJ.

"Welcome students!" Izuku and Ochako knew who this was.

"The Rescue Hero-Thirteen!" They both shouted.

Aizawa silenced all of them before giving them what they were planning. "Today will be rescue training. For the past two days we've been testing the limits of power through exercise and combat. Exercise to find how far you can push it and combat to see how you can strategize in intense situations. So let's begin."

As the group was ready to begin their exercise the lights flickered. Midoriya's senses went off like crazy as he could sense something in the middle of the USJ. He looked down and to his horror, a purple portal appeared.

"What the hell?" He muttered. Thirteen and Aizawa realized the situation as they got into a stance.

Kirishima looked at the portal curiously when people begin to walk out of it. "Is this part of the simulation?"

He was answered when Midoriya gritted his teeth and his aura erupted. The class was shaken by the immediate display of power.

"No this isn't part of today's exercise!" Panic started to rise with

As he looked at them, his sight turned the world black except for all living people around him. Around him were his peers, but the others down there had a different aura. One of malice and hatred. The portal itself even carried some of that. The cores within their beings dark gray.

The last two were the coldest and had the blackest cores.

"Ah heroes." The smaller villain said. "We should introduce ourselves."


	13. Chapter 13

_In the Teacher's Lounge_

Takahashi sat on the couch of the teacher's lounge with more medical reports in front of him. A cup of tea was on his side when he heard the door open. "Oh my well if it isn't our newest member."

"Oh hello Midnight." He put away the files as the teacher sat down. "What brings you here?"

"I'm on my break." She replied. "So what're you doing here?"

"Ch-Recovery Girl wanted me to get acquainted with all the Hero Course students as they're the ones most likely to suffer harm. Class 1-B's files are the ones I'm looking at. Oh where are my manners. Do you want some of this tea? They help get through the day."

"I'm more of a coffee girl, but if it gets the day to end faster than I'll gladly take it." He poured her a cup when the door opened. All Might walked in smiling before deflating back into his skinny form.

Takahashi sighed as the skeletal man sat down in defeat. Midnight took a sip out of her cup and knew that look. "Did the principal give you one of his lectures?"

"Yes." He sighed. Takahashi passed another cup to which All Might gladly took. "I wanted to head over to the USJ but he kept me in and lectured me on about the responsibilities of being a teacher and hero."

Midnight rolled her eyes. "I remember that speech. It was the first thing he talked to me about."

While Midnight divulged into her past with the rat, Takahashi felt a small chill crawl up his spine. ' _Why does today feel...off?'_

 _USJ Center_

Class 1-A stood in horror as villains began to assemble. The leader looked up. "Kurogiri, I thought you said All Might would be here."

"The schedule were given did say that All Might was here."

"Well it doesn't matter. We'll just have some fun killing these would be heroes." He looked up and saw Thirteen and Eraserhead. He grinned and pointed at them. "So our first move will be to slaughter the Pros!"

"The sensors. How did the sensors not work?" Kaminari took the initiative and tried contacting the school.

"Mr. Aizawa! Communications have been cut too! There's no way we contact the school."

Midoriya gritted his teeth as he tried to think of other ways to call for help. ' _I can't sense anyone from the school. Does Takahashi have the same range as me? If we had a sufficient amount of power could we signal him that something's wrong?'_

He looked at the villains and tried scaling them. ' _Damn. Some of these guys are impressive, but not enough to be felt. Even that...thing with the leader is too relaxed. It's not flexing its power. Maybe I could become the signal myself-No! Even with One for All and chakra I would just bring too much attention to myself and the others. Plus that would push my body to its upper limits and take me out the fight.'_

Aizawa didn't seem to flinch at the news and put on his goggles. He nodded at Thirteen and jumped down. A group of villains sneered at his straightforward approach, but when using their quirks they all failed. Deku looked at the group and was about to jump in when Iida grabbed onto his sleeve.

"Midoriya! We need to go. Once we're outside we can contact the school." He nodded and followed Iida. Before any of the class made it to the door, the purple gaseous villain appeared.

"I would think it best if you all stayed!" He said. Thirteen was about to open his finger when a portal appeared underneath him. He fell through and left the others. "Do not worry. I'm just saving him for last!"

However Bakugou and Deku jumped in front of everyone, raised their palms and fired two simultaneous shots. A fiery explosion and green energy hit the purple mass. The blonde shot a glare at Deku but kept his attention on the enemy.

"Not bad." Kurogiri grew and expanded over them.

"Shit!" Deku jumped back as Kirishima moved next to Bakugou to try and dodge the attack. Kurogiri expanded and consumed those three.

"Izuku!" Momo shouted as the purple mass consumed them all. Everyone tried avoid the attack, but most were consumed by it. Ochako, Mina, and Iida were part of the group that managed not to get caught up.

Others like Mineta tried sticking to the ground, but was taken away. He felt the world turn his body inside out as he was warped from the entrance point. When the nauseating feeling was about to leave, the purple boy found himself in the water.

He tried looking around for any help within the deep blue area when something was swimming closer. Trying to get a better look, he narrowed his eyes only to see a shark villain was swimming right towards!

"Mm! You'll make a great snack!" Mineta screamed in the water as the shark villain opened his mouth and bit into the tiny boy. His guts were ripped from his body. Lifeless eyes conveying pure horror at the incident. Limbs floating in the water and slowly rising to the surface. Blood gushing from wounds and his insignificant life was snuffed from the land of the living. The only thing he would be now was shark shit.

That would've happened if the shark villain wasn't hit by both a green projectile and Tsuyu kicking it in the gills. Wrapping her tongue around him, the frog girl jumped out of the water with Mineta in tow. They landed on the only boat in the water zone.

Mineta fell to his knees as he was trying to come to circumstance what just happened.

"Good job Asui. I couldn't knock him out with the blast since he left me little time to charge a decent one up." The purple boy looked up and saw Deku smiling. The tip of his index finger was slightly smoking while Asui nodded.

"Call me Tsu. Besides I wouldn't have known about Mineta landing here if you hadn't sensed him."

"Well I guess it's lucky that fell on top of the boat when that warping villain got me. Otherwise the situation may have been reversed." Deku shrugged and knelt down to Mineta. "Hey man you okay?"

"I'm fine!" He got to his feet and hugged Tsuyu's leg gratefully. "I was certain I was goner!"

He squeezed her nice, shapely thigh and was rewarded with a quick smack on the head. "Don't make me drop you back in there."

"I'm sorry!" He almost shouted. Looking around, Mineta took note that they were in the splash zone. "Aw man. These villains are crazy, powerful, and smart."

Deku nodded. "Maybe, but I wouldn't go with smart Mineta."

He gained an analytical look as he stood up and examined the area. "From what we could gather, these villains were looking for All Might. They managed to find out where he would be and seeing how the USJ is the most isolated area of the U.A school it would make sense to attack him here. But they made a clear mistake. As-Tsu has a noticeable frog-like appearance which suggests aquatic areas are her specialty. So why would a villain bring her to a water zone?"

"Th-They must not know our quirks!" Mineta answered.

"Exactly. And considering that warp villain, the hand guy, and that creature are likely the most dangerous, but failed to account our powers we can assume that these other villains don't know either."

Mineta hopped up. "Well we have the element of surprise. We just need a way to contact All Might and he can take care of these jokers!"

Tsuyu put a finger to her chin. "I don't know about that. These guys probably have a way of killing All Might."

"What?" He asked horrified.

"She's right Mineta as hard as it is to admit." Deku's anxiety on the matter was strong and he could feel the fear pumping through his heart. Yet he needed to focus and continue analyzing the situation. "Villains can be stupid, but charging dick first into one of the top hero school's in the world would be colossally stupid. Unless they have an ace in the hole."

The trio let that sink in. Tsuyu looked at Deku as his calm demeanour switched to a frustrated one. "There's few villains out there who could take on All Might head on. That creature in the middle of the USJ though seems strong enough to do so."

"That's a pretty good summary of situation Izu." Deku didn't register the nickname as he felt energy signatures everywhere.

"Shit! We're surrounded!" Mineta and Tsuyu turned to the side and saw a bunch of villains. "Damn it. I heard swimming with the sharks, but this is absurd."

"Did you try making a joke?"

"Let me cope Mineta!" Deku shouted back as he tried to think of a strategy. That's when one of the villains hopped on. It snuck behind Tsuyu and lunged forward. She barely reacted when Deku put his arm in front of her. The teeth sunk into his gauntlet and he grunted in pain. That didn't stop him from throwing a solid punch to the guy's eye. It loosened the jaw.

Tsu reacted quickly this time and kicked the guy in the face. He fell to the ground and felt something squishy on his back. He tried to get up, but couldn't.

"What the hell? A trap!"

The villain couldn't say anything more when Deku jumped up and slammed his knee against the guy's nose. It shattered as he clutched his bleeding arm.

"Nice teamwork you guys." He panted. He looked at the bite marks on his armor. Taking it off, he winced at how they looked. The bite tore through the metal and ripped up the tight wraps he had around. It was now loose on his arm.

Mineta stepped up and offered his cape. "Hey you can use this."

"Thanks Mineta. Also good timing with the ball. We could use that." Deku nodded gratefully and tore it into strands. Wrapping it up, Deku tightened it one last time before tossing the ruined gauntlet to the side. "Ok I'm thinking of a plan. What we have is super strength, frog abilities, and sticky balls. Is there any limit to your abilities?"

"Not any bad ones. Well my tongue can reach around 20 meters."

"I can regrow as many balls as I like, but if go past my limit my scalp will begin to bleed." Deku took the information into account as the boat was rocked. "Oh shit! We're gonna die!"

"We're not gonna die!"

"Are you sure you're meant to be in the hero business? You're awfully scared." Tsuyu commented.

Mineta almost looked offended, but his cowardly instincts were taking over. "It would be weirder if you weren't scared!"

"Oh, I'm terrified. Can't you tell?" Tsuyu pointed at her face which contained the same neutral expression. Mineta turned white at this before Deku lifted him by the cape and tossed him to Tsuyu.

He tried smiling through the fear as another blow to the boat rocked the ship. "No talk time. Action now! Tsu, you and Mineta hop off the boat! I'll jump off afterwards and you catch me with your tongue."

She nodded and jumped. Mineta almost screamed as they went flying off. Deku jumped off and aimed his hand at the boat. A green ball fired from his hand and blew the it up.

"What the hell? They blew it up?"

"God damn it. Where'd they go?!" As they were still in the air Mineta looked and saw that the one villain they knocked was still there. His sticky ball made the others carefully avoid it. Everything went into slow motion as he saw Deku still flying up to catch up with them and Tsu extending her tongue to catch him.

His body acted on his own and Mineta began to throw his balls at the water. "Damn it! Take this you villains!"

Deku saw the act and looked down to see the villains were trying to avoid it. Another idea came in mind as he aimed his hand and flicked one finger. Luckily the flick only numbed his finger. The air pressure hit the water and created a small vortex. Taking both balls and villains down its maw.

"Awesome Mineta!"

"Good thinking. That was pretty cool." Tsu commentated when they landed. Mineta was dropped and Tsu released her grip on Deku. The boy did a few flips on the ground before landing on his feet.

"We made out of the splash zone, but if we faced that many villains in one area that makes me wonder about everyone else." Deku looked over the rest of the USJ. He could sense everyone and turned to those who may need the most help.

One side had Momo's, but she had Jirou and Kaminari. Todoroki and Hagakure seemed fine with the ice he can see from a distance. Bakugou and Kirishima appeared busy. Everyone else seemed to have gone into hiding or taking on smaller battles.

' _Damn it. I want to head over to Momo's position, but I can sense where Mr. Aizawa is. And he's near the head honchos and with a sizeable force against him. He can't take on such a large group forever.'_

"So what do we do next?" Tsu asked. "Maybe we should find the others and build up a group."

"Or we can head back to the group back in the entrance. I saw bunch of our classmates dodge that warp villain." Mineta suggested. "We can probably get help if we head back there."

"You guys can do that." The two looked surprised at him when they saw a huge plume of smoke from the middle of the USJ. "I want to help Mr. Aizawa. Despite how good he is, he'll be overwhelmed."

"Mr. Aizawa should be fine. He can erase quirks. That basically means he's fine."

"Not mutation quirks. Besides remember that ace for All Might they have. He's near it and if poses a big enough problem for the villains they'll kill him. I'm going to head over there and at least sneak a peek."

He ran off towards that direction with Tsu and Mineta sharing a glance. She shrugged and followed. "If he's in trouble I'll help out."

A moment passed when Mineta realized he was alone. "Wait, don't leave me here!"

At that time Eraserhead leapt from villain to villain. Each strike knocking them down. Whoever wasn't getting punched got wrapped around in his scarf. Shigaraki seemed to enjoy the little fight going on. A hero who lived up to their reputation was annoying, but it was good to see someone competent at the same time.

The villain was counting down the seconds. He waited until he saw the hair begin to fall when he made his move. After knocking out the group, Eraserhead turned to the leader and got ready. He erased his quirk and blocked the punch.

"That was sloppy!" He shouted before the strain of his eyes took over. He blinked for a second and soon pain shot through his arm. The clothes and skin began to crumble away revealing the raw muscle underneath.

"Are you sure about that? You're not meant for drawn out fights. Stealth operations are where you lie best in. Though I have to admit, seeing you decimate my henchmen so easily looked so cool." He elbowed Aizawa in the face. The teacher staggered back when his back bumped against something else. He looked up to see the Nomu above him. It raised his hand and laid the hardest smack down.

Aizawa collapsed on the ground as it stepped on his arm and slammed his head into the concrete. The teacher looked at the creature and activated his quirk. Nothing changed as he felt the same amount of pressure against his school.

' _DAMN! He's naturally strong! It's at All Might's level!'_ He screamed in his head as Aizawa groaned in pain. Shigaraki was enjoying the show as Nomu continued to hurt the teacher.

Unknown to the villain, Deku, Tsuyu, and Mineta just arrived and nearly saw the entire ordeal. Deku himself was trying not to lose it as he watched his teacher turn into a punching bag. His anger was beginning to overwhelm his fear as he heard Shigaraki laugh.

"All right I have a plan."

"To escape?" Mineta asked.

"To save our teacher." Deku's fuse was getting ever shorter and Mineta was burning its last bit.

"Are you crazy! We can't do that! That is actual suicide!"

Izuku felt his anger reach his peak and turned to Mineta. "Mineta. I'm going to apologize for this later. Tsu, please switch spots with me."

Tsu waded off her spot and let Izuku move into her spot. He slapped Mineta hard and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

"Now listen here and listen well. I don't care about what your reason for being here is but you are a U.A. student! Hero Course no less! Fighting villains and saving people are part of the fucking job. If Aizawa dies today, the media outlets will say, ' _Helpless Students Watch On As Pro-Hero Eraserhead Dies',_ only we know the real meaning of that is, ' _Here lies these pathetic excuses of heroes for not even lifting a finger to save their teacher!'_ "

Tsu was shocked to see Midoriya so angry. Mineta was quivering at his gaze.

"So Mineta, you have two options. Run away to safety while Tsu and I go save Aizawa and become the quivering coward or do some quick fucking soul searching, find any remaining bit of your shattered testicles, and help save our teacher!"

Mineta stood in complete shock as Midoriya turned to Tsu. She kept her blank face, but her message was clear. He sighed and let go of Mineta. As he waded to Tsu, a hand grabbed the back of his shirt.

He turned to see Mineta holding him back. "How certain are you that we can save our teacher?"

"Pretty certain if you help us." Mineta looked at Izuku with his eyes still screaming in fear, but he nodded. Midoriya smiled brightly as Tsu moved next to them.

Shigaraki just finished bragging when he heard a splash. He looked up to see Deku flying in the air. His fist was glowing as he smashed the ground. "SMASH!"

Nomu let go of Aizawa and ran over to Tomura to protect him from all the incoming rubble. There were concrete blocks lifted from the ground as Deku took note of.

"Well, well. Has one of your students come to save you Eraserhead? Very brave." Deku stood up and glared at the villain. "You're very brave to come here, but a complete idiot to think you can save him."

"You like a court doll in predator cases." That surprised Shigaraki as Deku pointed at him. "Anyways I'm here to offer an easy route. Surrender here and give us back our teacher or face the consequences."

"Really? You came here to ask for a surrender? If you haven't noticed, we're the ones winning. You're cut off from the rest of the school and your teachers are down. Why the hell would we surrender?"

At that moment, Tsu's tongue wrapped around Aizawa and brought him closer to her. Shigaraki was surprised at that when Deku aimed his palm at him. The Nomu moved in front of its master to catch the blast.

In that moment, Deku saw Mineta running past him with a finger pointing at one of the concrete slabs. He nodded and ran to it. Sliding closer, he picked up the slab and aimed another blast at the Nomu.

Shigaraki tried getting a better view, but Deku blasted at their feet causing a cloud of dust to rise. He felt something wrap around his leg and fling him across.

"What the hell?!" Tsu tossed him aside which caused the Nomu to turn to where its master was. Leaving its back exposed, Deku slammed the concrete slab against it. The creature tried to break free, but didn't notice the purple balls peppered on it.

"Thanks Mineta!" Deku said as he powered up. The Nomu tried to free itself, but the green haired hero wasn't having it. He lifted the rock and creature up and tossed it into the lake. There was a large splash as Deku stepped back, tired from lifting the thing. "You're strong. I'm sure you can take a dip until the heroes show up!"

Shigaraki was in shock at seeing this and scratched his neck angrily as his frustrations started to peak. His Nomu, his ace in the hole was tossed to the bottom of the lake by a few high schoolers. That was meant for All Might!

"You bastard." He turned to Tsuyu who was holding Aizawa. Taking one last look at Deku, he felt his body shake with anger. That brat would know his rage and it would start with his friend and teacher!

In the meantime the rest of Class 1-A was struggling with the other villains. At the entrance, Iida and the others were doing their best to get past Kurogiri. They've been battling him for a few minutes, but haven't made much progress on escape. "Impressive reflexes, but it won't be enough!"

The others needed to act fast, but each of their attacks had little effect on the villain. That's when Iida noticed the metal brace. "Uraraka! Sero! I have a plan!"

The two nodded and moved in closer to hear it. Kurogiri saw them all gather and lunged toward them. Mina and Sato jumped into action with throwing rocks and shooting acid. The gaseous villain pulled back when the rock nicked his brace.

"These U.A students are no joke." He commented. "Still not enough though!"

Sato threw another rock at him and the villain opened a portal. The rock went in and popped on the other side. It hit Sato and made him crash into Mina. Ochako saw this and ran over to help them.

"Uraraka!" Iida shouted as Kurogiri slithered around and attacked. Before he could strike, he felt a strange feeling pulling him. Like really pulling him. He turned around and saw Thirteen behind him.

The rescue hero had noticeable damage on his suit, but that didn't stop him from trying to help the students. "One of you, hurry!"

"Damn you!" He opened a portal and used the black hole quirk against the hero. The suit was torn open and Thirteen screamed in agony. He stopped using his quirk before passing out on the ground.

Iida saw this and nodded at Sero. The tape student fired a strand and got Kurogiri. He moved over to Sato who gripped it. They flung Kurogiri away to give Iida enough time to leave.

' _Damn it all. I want to stay and fight, but I'm the only with a quirk that can reach the school fast enough. I have to do this!'_ He turned and saw all of his friends encouraging him. Mina and Ochako were helping Thirteen. ' _I'll bring reinforcements!'_

He left the USJ and Kurogiri knew this spelled trouble. He needed to return to Shigaraki. Speaking of him, the villain aimed his gaze at the frog girl. He rushed at her.

Tsu's expression changed slightly as Shigaraki's hand was getting closer to her face. Everything moved so slow as Aizawa tried to open his eyes open when a green blur shined through. Deku, shining with a green outline of chakra, appeared and kicked the handyman away. He stumbled back as Deku stood protectively in front of Tsu.

"Are you ok? He didn't get you?" Tsu shook her head as he smiled and faced Shigaraki. "You will not touch her. You will not kill anyone today."

"Bold words...for a dead hero!" He became a blur and Deku was actually surprised by his speed when he felt his hand wrap around his neck. He could see Shigaraki's twisted smile as he felt his fingers wrap around his throat. That smile slowly dropped into a frown before turning into disbelief. "What?"

Deku was surprised too, but felt his confidence surged through him. He grabbed Shigaraki wrist and pulled it off. "Look at that. Turns out your quirk can't destroy pure energy."

"WHAT?!" He screamed before he took a hard jab to the face. It sent him sprawling back as Deku rubbed his neck. "He has a shield? I thought his power was super strength! He has more than one quirk?! That's cheating! THAT'S CHEATING!"

He got up, but Deku was already on top of him. He took a nasty combo to the face and gut before he took a hard uppercut to the chin. He was sent flying into the air and landed hard on the ground.

"Awesome Midoriya!" Mineta said as he got up. He joined Tsuyu when Deku jumped back next to them. His palm began to glow.

"Alright game over villain." He said as he aimed at Shigaraki. "DEVASTATION BEAM!"

A loud explosion was heard as Momo knocked out the last conscious villain around them. She managed to make an electric blanket to cover her and Jirou from Kaminari electric surge. Now it only left them with a mentally weakened Kaminari.

"Whoa did you see that?" Jirou asked as she held Kaminari close. Momo felt her senses grow more anxious. The explosion was green and that meant Izuku was in a fight. "What do we do now?"

"Let's head off to the center of the USJ. Something tells me that whatever caused that explosion needs help." She ran off with Jirou surprised.

"Wait!" She shouted as she dragged Kaminari with her.

The cloud of dust slowly dispersed and Shigaraki was on his butt. Panting hard before realizing the blast never hit him. Kurogiri stood right in front of him. A portal was erected right in front of him. "I made it in time."

"Kurogiri. Thanks for the save, but the hell are you doing back here? Did you kill those brats at the entrance."

"Unfortunately they managed to get one student to escape and he was a fast one. There's little doubt in my mind that he escaped to call the teachers."

"Damn. And we lost our ace in the hole. This day just keeps getting worse and worse." He gazed at the smoke where Kurogiri redirected the attack.

"I wonder did those brats die?" He looked at the smoke where the beam was deflected to. It slowly faded to reveal Deku standing up with his arms crossed. The wraps and sleeves on his arms disintegrated. His skin burnt.

"Damn. So that's what that feels like." Deku muttered as his arms fell to his side. He took a look and saw his friends still together. Tsuyu held Aizawa close and Mineta was holding onto her. They looked shocked at what just happened.

Deku didn't pay them too much attention as he realized Iida's energy was fading, but from distance not power. ' _He escaped! He's getting help!'_

He looked at Aizawa and his friends before glancing at the villains. Even with the Nomu gone, those two will pose a problem. This brought up only one conclusion to mind.

"Tsu, Mineta take Aizawa out of here and get to the entrance."

The two looked at Deku like he grew a second head. "Are you stupid? And leave you against them, that's asking for a death sentence!"

"Mineta's got a point! If anything we should back you up." Tsuyu chimed in. Izuku looked back at them and gave them a serious glare.

"No! It'll take at least two of us to get Aizawa back to the others. If we don't do so then he'll die and everything we've done will have been for naught. Take him and get out of here. I'll stall these two." He pulled out the same stopwatch Takahashi lent him a few days back. "Three minutes and I'll join you guys."

The two shared a worried glance, but the groans of their teacher got their head in the game. Mineta picked up Aizawa's legs while Tsuyu held his arms. They scampered off as Deku clenched his fists.

Kurogiri and Shigaraki stared down at the young hero when he pointed at them. The tip began to glow. He fired off a couple of shots that made the two evasive. Kurogiri opened a few portals and caught the blasts. Using another set, he released the blasts. Deku dodged with a few backflips when Shigaraki went in for the kill by grabbing his throat.

Deku brought out his aura and stopped the villain's attack, but struggled with his tight grip. Shigaraki didn't seem to mind. "You bastard. You're going to make this death even easier?"

The green boy sneered and kicked the hand villain in the side. His grip loosened which let Deku land a hard jab. The leader stumbled back as Kurogiri tried to grab Deku. Each strike missed their mark as the hero ran away.

Deku tried keeping an eye on his friends. They seemed to be making good progress. They seemed to be running as fast as they could. He smiled at that before flipping around some more.

"He's really pissing me off." Shigaraki said. Kurogiri tried not to look annoyed while Deku kept bouncing around. Kurogiri finally had enough and saw one of the few bits of debris. It fell through and opened above Deku.

The hero looked up and saw it at the last second. It fell right on top of him. A cloud of dust was kicked up when it landed. Shigaraki approached the debris when it shook. It broke apart and revealed a more wounded Deku.

His cheek was cut and tore up his tracksuit revealing the black t-shirt underneath. His aura radiated for a second before breaking apart. The boy was trying to catch his breath while the villains relaxed a little.

"Damn it. I barely saved myself and even then." He muttered in pain.

Deku coughed and spit flew out when he fell to his knees. Shigaraki held up his hand to stop Kurogiri. "Not bad hero. You did surprisingly well, but the result is still the same."

He picked up the stopwatch and saw the twenty seconds left. "Hm twenty seconds. You couldn't even last three minutes. Pathetic! If I can't kill All Might today then I'll take your life instead. DIE!"

Raising his hand, Shigaraki reached to grab Deku when the boy sprung up and landed a hard hook. Blood spurted out of his mouth as he was caught off guard by the blow. Kurogiri was about to react when Deku fired a precise shot at the metal brace around his neck. That the villain flying and gave Deku enough time to grab Shigaraki's wrist.

"H-How? You were weak!"

"Gimme a break you idiot. I knew acting a bit helpless would get you to drop your guard. You prey on your enemy's vulnerability and desire to gloat like a spoiled brat. That's what happened. You attacked my school, my friends, and my teachers. So take this beating as compensation you hand fetish trash."

Deku reeled back his fist and began unloading a barrage of punches. One for All was spreading through his body and rose up to 8% as he let out everything. Shigaraki felt his body being absolutely pummeled.

' _Wh-What is this quirk?! He's so fast and strong it's like facing All Might himself!'_

"HA!" He landed one last punch on the villain and sent him flying to the ground. Shigaraki's face was pouring blood as he got up gasping for breath. "I hope you're ready to face justice. I'd hate to kick a guy when he's down so don't do anything you'll regret."

"How? How can this damn brat get the better me. I'm here to kill the number one hero. Not to submit to a trainee." He started punching the ground as Deku stepped forward and picked up his stopwatch. "DAMN YOU!"

Deku clenched his fist when suddenly a massive thing overshadowed him. Shigaraki stopped looking angry and actually smiled. The student slowly turned around and behind was a soaked Nomu.

"No way." Deku said. Patches of flesh where Mineta's balls were gone, but slowly growing back. It raised its hand before slamming it into the ground. Deku barely dodged it when roared. Charging, the Nomu appeared right next to Deku.

' _What the-! Damn it's fast!'_ Igniting his chakra, Deku took a hard slap to the face. Whatever wasn't absorbed rocked his teeth as Deku crashed into the ground. He rolled away as the Nomu tried stomping him to death.

Shigaraki got up and put the hand on his face. His sadistic smile only growing larger. The sting of his wounds mattered very little to him as he watched Deku try to avoid the Nomu's grasp. Kurogiri got up and joined his leader.

"Yes! Break him Nomu!"

Deku side stepped another blow went it grabbed him by the back of his shirt. Pulling him back, it lifted the boy up and slammed him into the ground creating a small crater. A spurt of blood poured out his mouth.

 _Meanwhile at U.A_

Takahashi and Midnight were walking next to All Might. "I can't believe you spent your morning commute on crime you idiot. There's other heroes in the district you know."

"Heh, I am sorry my friend. I just couldn't let things happen while I was around."

Midnight chuckled. "Aw don't worry All Might we get it, but remember we all have a schedule to follow here in U.A as well to nurture the future generation. Aw how splendid it is to see such youth mature."

The teacher seemed to gain a flowery background along with a little too eager expression. An awkward trail of sweat went down Takahashi's head when he sensed someone approaching. "Iida?"

"Hm?" Midnight asked. The three staff members looked outside the window and from the distance saw Iida running towards the school grounds. When he reached the gate, he stopped to finally take a breath. His eyes were wild and his body language was just as wild.

"Boy." The teen looked up to see Takahashi standing next to him. All Might seemed to follow him, but Midnight was surprised by the level of speed he just displayed. "What're you doing here? Where's the rest of your class?

"M-Mr. Takahashi! Thank goodness! We need your help! This absolutely an emergency!"

"Breathe boy." Iida didn't seem to follow until Takahashi put a hand on his shoulder. "Take a breath and then speak. You will not get your message out there without it."

Iida finally seemed to follow as he took several deep inhales and exhales. All Might and Midnight joined him as he looked to see the staff looking expectantly. "We're under attack!"

Lightning seemed to have struck all of them when he said that. "At the USJ, a group of sixty to seventy villains have appeared! Thirteen was warped away and Mr. Aizawa was fighting a group of them. Then a warp villain broke up the class and scattered around them around."

"Young Iida, who are these villains?"

"I don't know!" He looked at the others and saw Takahashi had his eyes closed. His senses expanded and soon he could get a feel for the USJ. He could identify three significant villain signatures along with the rest of class 1-A.

"He's not joking." Takahashi turned to Midnight. "Alert Nezu and gather the other teachers. Take Iida with you and join us at the USJ."

"Right Takahashi and I will head there to provide immediate aid! Let's go!" All Might said before dashing off. Midnight nodded and gestured at Iida. The boy looked distraught and Takahashi put a hand on his shoulder.

"Boy, do not feel cowardly for running. You managed to give your friends a fighting chance. Remember that." Iida looked at Takahashi surprised before nodding. He ran off with Midnight and left the old man at the gate.

He quickly reduced back his senses as a means not to overwhelm himself. Taking a breath, Takahashi ran after All Might.

Back at the USJ, Deku could taste the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. The Nomu loomed over him as he tried to get back up.

It grabbed by the back of his head and dunked it underwater. Deku was losing air each time it brought his head out of the water and dunked it back in. Oxygen became a scarcity when it pulled him out last time. Nomu growled at him when Deku was scrambling for breath. It slowly began to tighten his grip on his head.

' _I'm gonna die if I don't something soon! I feel like I'm gonna vomit. He's so strong!'_ His power began to swell under the new pressure as he struggled against the Nomu. Pink lightning sparked from his body as he was pulling out everything. Full Cowling, his chakra, every bit of his will to fight, Deku was pumping it through his body.

"HRRRAAAA!" He screamed. The battle cry rocketed through his body as the volcanic veins of Full Cowling wrapped around his body and the green aura he covers himself in bursts free. The brightness overwhelms Nomu as it briefly loosened his grip. Deku seemed to float in the air for a second before he turned around and swung his leg. The kick caught Nomu off guard.

Using the momentum, Deku felt the new rush of power stress his muscles as he landed a good distance away from the monster. Reeling back his left arm, the green hero charged all the power he had left towards his left palm. A small bright sparkle formed on his palm before expanding to medium sized sphere.

"No more! YOU'RE MINE!" He aimed at Nomu and Shigaraki grew concerned by the new power arising. ' _Just like the Zero Pointer. Focus!'_

"NO!"

' _One for All.'_ He thought as he thrust his left hand out. "DEVASTATION BEAM!"

The sphere fired from the palm and formed into a beam. The Nomu put up one hand as he caught it. The USJ was shined bright as the other students and villains were surprised and confused by the new development.

"I can't lose. Not now. NOT HERE!" Deku roared. The beam expanded and soon overwhelmed the monster. It screeched in anguish as the beam soon broke through the USJ walls and curved into the sky.

The dust covered them all and as it slowly settled Deku stood up. Muscles stressed, deep gulps of breath, and extreme fatigue plagued him as he tried to look at the results. His arm was purple and bloody. It held on straight before falling to his side limp. He fell to his knees and coughed out some blood.

' _What the hell? That was nothing like the entrance exam. I could feel it through my entire body. Did One for All and my chakra work in sync to give me that boost in power? Could-'_

His thoughts were interrupted as he looked to the smoke. The Nomu stood where it was. Looking unphased, but with a stump where his right hand was. Deku tried to examine his handiwork when Shigaraki chuckled.

"Nomu, hurry up and grow it back."

The Nomu's hand regenerated to Deku's horror. Every muscle fiber slowly formed back into a fist. When the last bit of flesh grew back, it flexed its fingers and turned to the boy in a curious manner. The student started to breathe harder and faster as the beast took one step closer. It made him do something he hadn't done since the sludge villain.

Deku was trembling.

"Not bad, not bad at all. You were close, but dropped the ball at the last second. If you aimed for his head then perhaps you could've done something. It doesn't matter though."

With his left arm hanging loosely to his side, Deku tried to jump back but when he did the Nomu lunged forward. It grabbed him by his leg and pulled him. Flinging Deku around like a ragdoll, it slammed him against the ground. Each time cracking the ground. Deku was giving blood curdling screams with each blow. He slipped in and out of conscious with pain greeting him each moment.

When it was satisfied, Nomu dropped him to the ground and it almost seemed to hiss in satisfaction at his job. Deku laid on the floor in excruciating pain. His durability didn't hold up. He stared at the ceiling before the black mass of muscled monster flipped him over. Reaching down, he grabbed Deku by the back of his neck and lifted him off the ground.

Holding him up, the Nomu put him right in front of Shigaraki. The villain sneered at his beaten enemy. "So?"

Deku struggled to say a word as he opened his eyes. It was hard as a cut on his head spilled blood over his left eye. Shigaraki chuckled as he looked over his body.

"Go...fuck yourself Happy Ending." He muttered.

Shigaraki didn't looked to phased by it. "That'll cost a rib."

Midoriya screamed in pure pain as the Nomu pressed a finger against his torso.

CRACK! "Maybe two more for good measure."

CRACK! CRACK!

"AAAAAAHHH!"

Momo and the others heard that. Jirou was dragging Kaminari when she saw Momo's face distort from determination to pure terror. She stopped for a second to cover her mouth with tears threatening to spill.

"Yaoyorozu?" Jirou asked before seeing the girl bolt. Her legs were pushing her to run at top speed. She was breathing hard with all the anxiety hammering her heart. Her body was moving on its own as she slowly saw the four figures in the distance.

"Izuku!"

Todoroki heard the scream as well. His eyes narrowed at the source of it. Planting his foot on the ground, the ice formed and pushed him towards it.

At the distance Bakugou and Kirishima were heading to the center. "Holy shit did you hear that? You think it's one of our classmates?"

Bakugou didn't answer as he ran faster. "That portal guy is there. Get ready to jump him."

"Got it!"

Shigaraki was savoring Midoriya's suffering as the Nomu pulled his finger away. He stepped up and backhanded him. That stopped the boy from screaming as he winced at the pain. The boy looked at villain with a decent level of hate in his eye.

"Well if we don't get the symbol of peace then we'll at least land a decent blow to his pride." He was about to laugh when Izuku kicked him. "Oh still a little fight in you? Nomu."

The Nomu responded by grabbing Midoriya's broken left arm and squeezed. Bones cracked and muscles were torn in the tight grip. Midoriya started sobbing in pure agony while screaming his soul out. Kurogiri looked at Tomura's face as his leader was taking in every moment.

"Shigaraki. Perhaps it is best we kill the boy now. Time is limited thanks to one of the students escaping."

"Fine." Shigaraki said with a pout. Before he could order Nomu to finish off the green haired boy, a small russian nesting doll landed next to them. The villains looked confused when it popped open to reveal a flashbang. It exploded and blinded them. "What?!"

The sound of ice slid across the floor and froze half the Nomu. Using his last bit of strength, Midoriya freed himself from the Nomu's grasp. He fell on to the ground and began crawling away. His vision was blurry from the flashbang, but he was following something.

"Izuku! Come here!" The voice was at a distance, but was getting closer. It was Momo. Trying to see better, he focused hard and saw Momo standing next to Todoroki. The teens were looking at him with a horrified look and a tense face.

The villains were recovering when Kurogiri felt something grab the metal plate around his neck. He crashed into the ground with Bakugou and Kirishima pinning him.

"Move and I'll blow this metal to hell." Bakugou threatened with a smile. Kurogiri just grunted while they held him down. Shigaraki pleased expression turned into a pissed one. Nomu's eye glanced over the person who trapped it.

Todoroki barely reacted and turned to the leader. "I would recommend your surrender. Your weapon is frozen, we've surrounded you, and your escape is pinned."

Nomu grunted and pulled himself out of the ice. His frozen flesh broke off his main body and Jirou looked sick at witnessing such an action. "Jesus."

"No! Get back! It can regenerate!" Midoriya yelled. Everyone turned to him before they saw the stump begin to regrow.

Todoroki was about to send more ice when the Nomu slammed its hand to the ground. The shockwave sent most of them back with only Bakugou using Kurogiri to keep him in place. Midoriya was flipped on his back.

"Hey asshole!" Shigaraki turned to see Bakugou glaring right at him. "You let that shitty nerd come back to us! You will not kill him. Unless you want your little escape plan to bite the dust."

"K-Kaachan." Midoriya stuttered as he continued his crawl. "Thanks."

Shigaraki huffed angrily before looking a little intrigued by the threat. "You'll kill my minion? Bold. Fine, Kurogiri and I will not lay a hand on the kid while he pathetically crawls for help."

' _Can we really trust them?! These are villains and Midoriya looks like he's about to bite the dust.'_ Jirou thought. Kaminari began to finally come to, but didn't say anything. Momo didn't care as she carefully took a few steps closer to Midoriya.

"Yaoyorozu." Todoroki sternly said.

She ignored him and slowly stretched her hand out while keeping an eye on the villains. Shigaraki's expression couldn't be seen through the hand on his face.

Midoriya was crawling towards Momo as the everyone was trying to handle the tense atmosphere. Bakugou, Kirishima, Jirou, Kaminari, and Todoroki were on guard while Momo was reaching out for Izuku.

"Momo. I just need a few seconds...to get back some strength back." Midoriya wheezed as he continued to crawl.

"Don't worry about it. I'm here." Momo leaned in a bit closer with her hand getting closer to Izuku's. The two shared a hopeful smile when it was shattered by a loud crack! Izuku's eyes went blank and his mouth was screaming silently with a bit blood spat out.

The Nomu just smashed his fist into his back and the shockwave blew Momo back. Todoroki ran over and caught the girl. He tried to get her attention however her eyes were focused on something else and conveyed pure horror.

The Nomu was above Midoriya with his fist planted firmly on his back. He laid in crate created by the impact.

"Oops. I forgot to make Nomu promise. My bad." Midoriya's lifeless eyes looked right at his classmates. Bakugou felt something come up his throat as he stared in disbelief at his former friend. Kurogiri took that moment of shock to slip through the floor to rejoin Shigaraki.

"NO!" Momo shrieked. Tears were openly flowing down her cheeks as she saw the Nomu picked up Midoriya's limp body and toss it into the lake. "YOU MONSTERS!"

Shigaraki laughed evilly as he tasted the despair in her voice. "Good, keep crying! Something like that will make the Symbol of Peace quiver in his boots. In fact I want to hear more. Nomu, I want you to make these students scream and once you're done wringing their voices dry, send them to meet their green haired friend!"

Kirishima clenched his fist. "What're we gonna do?"

Bakugou's angry expression slowly transitioned to tranquil fury as his palms start to spark. "We'll kill them. We'll make them pay for even crossing us."

Todoroki got into a fighting stance and everyone else soon followed with the exception of Momo who was staring at the ground. "We have to hold them off until the pros get here."

Shigaraki tilted his head curiously and looked through one of his hands. "Oh you want to fight? I expect nothing less from U.A students."

Todoroki was about to start when Momo stood up. Her eyes were still tear stained, but her hands began to glow. Two swords came out and she got into a stance. "Yaoyorozu, don't do anything reckless."

She looked at Todoroki and steeled her gaze. "Reckless? We might need it to win."

' _To avenge Izuku.'_ She thought. The villains looked at each other before Shigaraki belted over with laughter.

"Well then let's start round two and beat these low level bosses." He laughed.

Meanwhile, Midoriya was slowly sinking to the bottom of the lake. As the exchange was happening up above, Midoriya was about to hit the bottom. He could hear his dying body try to fight...

' _I'm dying? Am I really dying?'_ Slow, steady. It kept that steady pace as Shigaraki was laughing. The heart soon sped up the pace and soon was beating ten times faster.

' _No...I'm not a hero yet. All Might...Takahashi I promised. My classmates, MY FRIENDS!'_ Midoriya's eyes slowly came back, irises and pupils now pure heavenly green. Power flowed into his body and the damage dealt was being undone. His vision then showed a group of people looking at him. In his head, they were chanting one word as his final thoughts came through.

 _ **Fight**_.

That one word quelled any nerves in his body as his body started to heal.

' _I...I can't die. I won't die! I need to get up. I need to move! I need to-I need to FIGHT!'_ His mind went blank after screaming that. The ground shook before his shirt burst open and a pillar of light illuminating the USJ.

All the villains and students stopped their fighting as the light consumed the area. Shigaraki and Nomu turned to the lake and saw the water evaporate. Steam filled the area and the pillar remained for a few more seconds before fading away.

Kuroguri appeared next to them as they glanced at the bottom of the lake. On his knees, Midoriya slowly clenched his broken fists. A bright green aura wrapped around him as he slowly got up. His eyes were closed and his hair began to move softly on its own. A green circle glowed brightly on the center of his chest.

"What the hell? I thought we drowned this rat!"

The purple bruised skin of his broken arms slowly peeled away while the shattered bones inside slowly meld back together. Getting up, Midoriya seemed to move wobbly. His head rolled around before he finally managed to snap it to focus. His hair slightly moved up to reveal his hidden eyes.

Momo and Todoroki looked in complete shock as the entire lake was soon empty. Izuku's back was turned back as he stood still. The moment ended as he slowly turned around. His bangs covering his eyes were sticking up to reveal his pure green eyes. Pupils gone.

"Izuku." Momo whispered as she felt the pressure of the entire USJ come down on them. Todoroki tried keeping a calm face, but Momo could see him sweating hard. Everyone else was caught off guard by the almost ethereal sight.

Takahashi and All Might were still running to the USJ when a wave power rocked the old man. He felt a sudden headache almost split his brain open when he felt it. He fell to the ground as All Might stopped.

"Takahashi! Takahashi, what's wrong?"

The old man couldn't exactly answer as he could feel the immense presence. It was as if the combined presence of several powerful people merged into one had suddenly expanded. And at its core was the cold presence of Izuku's power.

"What the hell?" He harshly whispered as he looked up. All Might followed his gaze and the two saw a narrow green pillar of light rising in the distance.

In the USJ, Deku stood up with his torso moving loosley. One wisp of his breath was green before he roared. The glass and the set of cameras around the USJ shattered. Jirou and everyone else covered their ears as he continued to roar.


	14. Chapter 14

The entire USJ froze when they heard that roar. The students and villains stopped fighting when they heard that. In the middle of the area, Shigaraki could barely believe his eyes when he saw Deku relax a little. It was so intense, no one witnessed the group of villains that was trapped in the lake falling to the ground. Still stuck together.

"What the hell Deku." Bakugou said astounded. Everyone felt the entire place shift. Ochako and Mina held onto Thirteen as she saw in the distance Tsu and Mineta carrying Aizawa. They managed to get to the entrance before any other villain got to them.

Back at the former Flood Zone, Deku stood up straight with his eyes glaring right at the main trio of villains. No one moved, no one breathed. Not until the Nomu twitched. At that moment Deku landed a kick.

The other villain's eyes needed a moment to refocus when they turned to see Deku's foot planted against the Nomu. Another delayed reaction happens when a large shockwave rocks through Nomu and knocks Shigaraki and Kurogiri away. Not only them, but the other U.A students went flying off as well.

Unflinching, Deku jumped off the monster and landed on both feet. He slumped forward with his eyes focusing on the Nomu. It roared loudly as it tried to frighten Deku. The teen tilted his head with an almost child-like curiosity before adjusting his foot. With a slight bit of pressure, the ground cracked and caused the Nomu to fall off balance.

Taking the opportunity, Deku kneed it in the face, flipped over it, and grabbed the upper side of his jaw. With a grunt the creature went flying through the air and crashed into the city area. One of the buildings collapsed right on top of it.

"What the hell?" Shigaraki asked.

Momo and the others got up as well when they saw a large chunk of building being hurled right at Deku. The teen put up his hand and fired one straight beam. The building shattered into small chunks of debris.

"MOVE!" Todoroki shouted as everyone took cover when he summoned an ice wall. The wall held up, but a few pieces broke through and hit the group. Kirishima got in front of Jirou while Bakugou blew some of the debris away.

Momo created a body sized shield and protected herself while Todoroki dove behind her when they buried. Deku paid no attention to that as he cracked his neck. The Nomu came in screaming its lungs out.

Nomu in a pure rage, threw a punch only for Deku to disappear in front of his eyes. Shigaraki and Kurogiri Nomu growled and roared at Deku when he turned to the creature.

It charged right at him with the highest killer intent it could muster. The boy clenched his fists and braced himself. The other students felt the first shockwave rock them. Deku and Nomu were throwing incredibly fast punches.

Time seemed to slow down as Deku finally exhaled. A green wisp of smoke exited his mouth as he stopped punching and jumped into the air. Cupping his hands above his head a green ball formed, Deku aimed it down and opened fire. Multiple beams rained down on the creature and each one scrapped its skin.

Ochako and the others saw this the raining lights and was in awe. "What's going on over there?"

Tsuyu and Mineta looked at each other while adjusting Aizawa next to thirteen. "Izu."

Back with Deku, he adjusted himself as gravity finally pulled him down. The Nomu tried catching its breath when Deku was getting closer. It reacted quickly and fired off a strong punch. The wind pressure pushed Deku away, but he was undeterred. Landing on his feet, it threaded across the ground creating deep gashes in it. Nomu's wounds began to heal when it roared.

Momo and the others finally got up from the shockwaves to see Deku standing a good ways in front of them. She got up and winced as she felt her pain strain her arm. The group didn't get off scot free from the shockwaves.

Jirou was holding her ears, Kirishima was pushing off the rubble with Bakugou, and Todoroki was the only one relatively unscathed. Momo wiped the side of her mouth and saw a drop's worth of blood on her hand.

' _This is insane!'_ She thought. ' _Izuku...Izuku was dead! There was no way even with his incredible strength he could've survived that blow to his back. How in the world did he come back?!'_

She watched Deku almost fly toward the monster with pure determination. Nomu saw this and threw the hardest punch it could muster. The boy did a front flip and made contact with the fist. The level of strength behind the punch sent him far away. Sailing through the air, Deku's expression didn't change.

Despite all the turbulence, his head remained focus on the game. He twisted his body around and rolled into a ball as he got closer to the entrance. Mina and Ochako saw this and covered Thirteen as they saw this shiny green ball fly towards them.

It crashed against the wall and they turned to only be shocked. Mineta, Tsu, and everyone else almost dropped their jaws as Deku caught himself on the wall. It almost seemed like he left no impact on the wall, but a second later a shockwave rocked the walls and broke the remaining lights. The impact shook the door as Deku kept his eyes focused on the distant Nomu.

His glow caught everyone's attention as Ochako's lips barely moved to saw "Deku" when he leapt of the wall. Becoming a green streak of light across the way and tearing apart the the surrounding area, the boy pulled back his arm as he locked on the Nomu.

" _ **RAAAAAAH!"**_ The primal roar rattled everyone down to their bones when they clashed. The earth caved into their force as their fists met. There was a sickening crunch that came from both of them. Their arms were blown away. The Nomu's fingers were blown off while Deku's hand was heavily disfigured.

However the two stood their ground as both healed from their injuries. The bones and muscles in Deku's hand seemed to contract with each wildly as it fixed itself with a green glow. The Nomu's fingers regenerated and growled in pain. Deku's expression didn't change at all. No anger, no happiness, no sign of any emotion. His irises shrunk when he took in a deep breath. It seemed like he was sucking every bit of air around him as the Anti-Symbol of Peace finished healing the rest of his arm.

Deku's head shook violently when he opened his mouth and green flames poured out. The Nomu cried out in pain as it consumed him. Todoroki was shell shocked by the new ability. It almost seemed ethereal to witness such flames consume the villain. They could see its silhouette writhing in pain.

"H-He can breathe fire?" His left side twitched. Clutching it, he shot a cold glare to his arm as Deku continued to burn away the Nomu.

Shigaraki started to scratch his neck harder as he glowered at the sight. "The shock absorption quirk can't work under fire, but Nomu's skin should be able to resist even Endeavour's level of flame. How hot is it?!"

The students took note of his despair and the information he spat out.

When the flames finally died down, the students cringed at the skin and muscles. It looked like a wax statue with charred skin. Deku growled like an animal as he crouched down. His aura wrapped around him as he bolted at the Nomu. Appearing above him, Deku performed an axe kick on its brain. It screeched in pain as he plunged his hand into its brain and pulled it. The Nomu thrashed like a wild animal when the wet snap of brain happened. Half of it came out and Deku crushed it between his fingers.

Jirou looked sick. "That's so fucking gross."

Bakugou was sick under a different reason. "Deku...he's so brutal now. Those moves would kill anyone else. Is he even the damn nerd from before."

"I don't know. All I know is that I hope he doesn't turn his attention on us." Kirishima stated. Momo tightened her fists as she witnessed the brutality. Fear, worry, anger, and surprisingly pity was coursing through her veins. In a way she agreed with Bakugou. Is he even the same?

The Anti-Symbol of Peace stumbled back as Deku approached it. It punched the ground and barely made it quake. Pulling a chunk of debris from the ground, it threw it. Deku leaned out of the way, but at the corner of his eye saw where it would land.

"Yaoyorozu!" Todoroki yelled out. She was on his left side so he had to turn, but the rock was already approaching her. Her pupils shrunk before the rock shattered. Right in front of here, Deku stood in front of her with his hand outstretched.

"I-Izuku?" She stammered when she fell on her butt. The shock of it was more than enough to shake her core. He looked at her for and for a second, his eyes changed. The cold and focused eyes became misty and confused. That's when the Nomu took the chance to appear right in front of them. It raised its fist and brought it down on them.

Deku crossed his arms as he took the blow head on but it was strong enough to blow them both back. Jirou and the others screamed their names when they were sent off. There was a loud boom and a cloud of dust.

The villains and heroes looked as it finally settled. Momo was standing on her feet, holding Deku's back while the boy's arms were shaking. Heavily bruised with a traces of blood on it, the boy shot one more death glare at Nomu. Red steam hissed as his arms healed.

" _ **RAAH!"**_ He yelled out as uncrossed his arms and a large amount of wind blew the dust away. And for what seemed an eternity, he fell on to one knee. His hair flopped back down and his eyes regained his black pupils.

"Izuku!" She knelt down to his side as he passed out. His head fell on her chest as his eyes slowly closed. Fearing the worst, she put a hand on his chest and tried to feel for any signs. The rich girl breathed a heavy sigh of relief to feel his heart pump steadily.

Everyone didn't know what to think until they heard a loud noise and saw the Nomu be overwhelmed by a huge iceberg. Todoroki took advantage of the stunned silence, but still had one eye on Midoriya.

Shigaraki finally broke out his stupor as he finally realized that his greatest threat was gone. "Kurogiri."

"Right." He expanded and the rest of the students returned to being on edge.

Todoroki was ready to send another ice attack when the iceberg groaned. He jumped back as the cold mass broke open. The Nomu walked out unscathed and looking as if he was just waved off an annoying fly.

"Damn it. That creature plus those two make this fight even harder." He muttered as he strides over to Bakugou and the others. Bakugou, Kaminari, and Kirishima got into ready fight positions while Jirou moved closer to Momo and Midoriya. The vice rep formed a shield on her arm while Midoriya groaned.

Shigaraki's good mood came back with intense relief to see the most annoying problem out of the way. He got ready to fight when the worst thing imaginable happened.

The entrance door busted open.

Two figures stood in the smoke and when it went away everyone felt relieved. The students at the entrance gained tear filled eyes and bright smiles when seeing All Might. Takahashi was right behind him and fired a blue ball at Thirteen and Aizawa. Mina and Ochako heard the space hero breathing change from haggard to softly.

' _Damn. These injuries are major. If I heal them back to full strength it'll sap a good amount of my own. I'll stabilize them and let Chiyo kiss them afterwards.'_

"Are you all okay? Any injuries?" The students shook their heads as he brought up a small smile, but it disappeared when he looked at the center of the USJ. That massive power Izuku was displaying disappeared. "Save the students, investigate later."

Everyone could feel something powerful radiating from him as he took another step in front of All Might.

The few remaining henchmen got up and saw the two. They cowered in fear before Takahashi appeared behind him. Everyone watched him until the villains reacted violently. Blood and the sounds of broken bones filled the air as they fell to the floor. He approached the students with something electrifying behind his eyes.

Izuku groaned in Momo's arms as Takahashi approached them. She wiped her tears away when he knelt down and examined their wounds. Shigaraki, Kurogiri stepped forward, but felt something in their bodies screaming to step back. Takahashi noticed the two and his glare hardened and immense wind pressure blew everywhere again.

"Takahashi. Stand back and heal Young Midoriya." Takahashi didn't even turn around as he aimed his finger at Izuku and fired a blue dot at him. Momo was surprised when it suddenly grew and wrapped around him. His aged brown eyes slowly turned to a royal blue.

"Don't let him move too much. It should stabilize him while I take on these villains." Takahashi said with the coldest tone. His eyes gained a tint of red at the bottom of his irses. All Might looked warily, but the villains didn't look the least bit worried.

"Takahashi don't! That creature has regeneration and shock absorption! And it's just as strong as All Might." Takahashi glanced at Momo before facing the monster. He took another step and a thin blue light outlined him.

"It doesn't matter if it's a strong as All Might. It's going to pay regardless."

"The Nomu is here to kill All Might. You're not worth its strength you lanky old man. Now Nomu, kill the strongest enemy!" Shigaraki ordered. All Might put up his hands and the rest of the students got ready to fight when Nomu roared. He lunged right at their position and was on top of...Takahashi. The nurse crossed his arms as the two moved back in high speeds. Every single one of them was confused on what was going on as All Might blinked in surprise.

"What? Nomu, I said kill the strongest!"

"Could it be that it thinks that old man is stronger than All Might?" Kurioguri said out loud. Momo held Izuku closer as everyone else watched. Takahashi smirked and uncrossed his arms, throwing the beast off it's balance. It tried striking again and again, but Takahashi kept dodging or blocking it.

He ducked under one of its punches before throwing his coat off. "Not bad. Forgive me if I'm not going all out. It's been awhile since I had a decent fight."

He kicked the Nomu in the gut and its feet was lifted off the ground. Everyone stood astonished especially the villains. The old man followed the kick with a strong haymaker and sent it into the ground. It bounced up and tried grabbing him. Takahashi jumped over it and kicked it two times in the head. He landed behind it and shot it a death glare.

"Come on. Is that all you got?" The Nomu almost seemed to flinch at the gaze when it roared again. It pounded its chest and charged. It reeled back its fist as far as it could before throwing a punch with incredible speed.

Takahashi raised his hand and a cloud of dust covered them. All Might was about to rush in when the dust settled to reveal Takahashi holding back its fist with one hand and a dark colored aura surrounding him. It shifted from purple to blue as Takahashi calmed himself. The red tint in his eyes faded and returned to blue.

Shigaraki didn't really care for the color change, but the way Takahashi's aura surrounded him plus the extraordinary abilities, it only left him with one conclusion.

"N-No way. His quirk...is it similar that damn kid's?!" Everyone else thought that as the comparison between their class rep and the nurse were being drawn. "No, no, no! That's cheating."

Takahashi didn't register their shock as he pulled in Nomu. "You're not bad...for a dog."

He threw a punch in retaliation and sent the Nomu flying off. He jumped over and stomped on it as it was still flying through the air. Surfing on the beast, Takahashi held his hand above it and formed a sharp blade. He brought it down and cut the throat open. Muscle was there, but no blood spurted out.

"Disgusting. You can't even be a decent fight." He muttered under his breath before coming to a stop. He jumped off the beast and cupped his hands. A bright blue ball shined as he aimed it. "You were a good pet though. Now be put down like one."

"No Takahashi, don't do it!" All Might called out. Takahashi didn't pay any attention in mind as he watch the wound fix itself.

" _ **Eradication Sphere!**_ " The ball dropped on the Nomu. A large pillar of light erupted from it and the Nomu was left with half of its body there. Takahashi landed and looked at All Might. "Don't be distraught. Even you should know that one has to have the intent to kill to fight this thing."

He turned to it and saw the Nomu get up. "Besides consider the beast weakened. I'm guessing that something else did some damage too."

Shigaraki was now scratching his neck even more as he heard it. "This kid, that old man! My Nomu! This is a game breaker! This is unfair!"

Nomu got up and screeched. Takahashi noticed and cracked his neck. "You're disgusting, but I curious...can you feel fear?"

It didn't respond as Takahashi tossed away his coat. It gave its loudest roar and charged. The Nomu threw its first punch and Takahashi blocked it, but he didn't see the next one coming. The fist landed a heavy blow on his cheek. Shigaraki cheered gleefully as Takahashi's head moved. Unfortunately his celebration ended as the old man slowly turned his head. A drop of blood bled down his cheek, but he smirked.

"You hit hard." He punched the ground and cracks in the ground began to glow blue. "I hit harder!"

Several dark blue tendril erupted from the ground as it impaled the Nomu. It screeched in pain as it was lifted off the ground.

"Brutal." Bakugou whispered as he saw the nurse. The shadows covered his face and all that was seen was his bright blue pupil. The Nomu struggled and Takahashi pulled back, dropping it on the ground. A cloud of dust covered the creature as the old man turned to Shigaraki.

"You're pet is pathetically weak, though I can attribute some of that to something Izuku did." The villain flinched at his observation. He looked and saw Nomu struggling to get up. Its wounds were recovering slowly. Very slowly. "I guess I should be proud. I cultivated his strength to the point where it can damage such a creature."

"WHAT!" Shigaraki screamed. The other students besides Momowere shocked by the revelation. Everything they've witnessed was a result of the old man's training?

Bakugou glanced at Midoriya with complete disbelief. For that brief moment, the villain's didn't mean shit as he reminisced on the beating he suffered from the green haired boy. His fists clenched even tighter and threatened to rip to the gloves he wore.

"Damn you." Shigaraki growled. He was about to move when Takahashi raised his fist and jabbed at the air. The air flicked towards the leader of the villains and sent him flying.

Takahashi sneered as he turned to All Might. He held up his hand and aimed directly at All Might's old wound. Firing one blast, All Might was enwrapped in a glowing blue hue when he felt his strength come back. It was close to what his prime was! "We should work together to get rid of this problem. I'd hate for you to lose any time you have left especially on such an unnecessary and wasteful opponent."

All Might nodded and got ready to fight. Nomu got up before two streaks of color struck him on both sides. It cried out in agony as it saw Takahashi stabbing his hand on side while All Might punched his brain. The old man pumped a sharp spike of energy through it while the number one hero gripped its arm.

Flinging it aside, the two attacked simultaneously. Raining heavy punches, the Nomu's durability slowly wore away as it began to shake with each punch. Nomu tried it's best to fight, but it was designed to fight one superhero. Not two that seemingly possess equal strength. The two looked at each other as All Might jumped back. Takahashi jumped as well into the air and flipped around as he dove at the monster.

"This is the end!" He shouted out as he landed one powerful blow. " _ **MUDA!"**_

Blue energy pierced its body as All Might came in. The Nomu could barely turn around before the Number One hero charged. Landing four hits on it, All Might reeled back his fist for the final one. "You'll regret this day as we go beyond _PLUS ULTRA! DETROIT-!_ "

He started as he felt the embers of One for All erupt back into an inferno. The rush of power was exhilarating as it coursed through his veins. All Might even witnessed his muscles bulging a bit more.

" _ **SMASH!"**_ His voice echoed throughout the USJ.

The Nomu felt something erupt within itself as it went flying into the air and up into the atmosphere. It kept flying until it became a twinkle in the sky and meteor when it lands. Shigaraki was breathing hard. He looked at the two teachers with utter disdain and disbelief. All Might he expected, but not this other player!

And he even revealed himself to have trained one of the most troublesome students that nearly defeated him. Rage could barely be the appropriate word as he projected it out on everyone else.

"DAMN YOU!"

Takahashi silenced him when he pointed a finger right at the leader. "You damned yourself the minute attacked this school. And in one second you'll be entering your own eternal hell in Tartarus."

"That's so manly." Kirishima commented. Bakugou reluctantly agreed in his head. It was pretty cool. That's when Takahashi could sense the others. Shigaraki looked up to see the teacher staff of U.A on top of them.

He stepped back as the students and staff approached. Iida was with them and he looked triumphant. Takahashi's eyes shined brightly through as he got ready to jump. Kurogiri quickly reacted as he surrounded Shigaraki. Before the mist covered him, Shigaraki took one last look and took one more glance at Midoriya. He flinched when he saw that one of his eyes were open and regained that cold look of focus.

"This isn't over trash!" They disappeared and Takahashi finally relaxed. The cold blue in his eyes faded and returned back to brown. He turned to the group of students behind him with a small smile.

No really moved until they heard a loud yawn. They looked to see Midoriya looking at them with an innocent expression. With little effort he nuzzled closer to a Momo, who now realized their position, blushing. His head rest on her chest and he had a child like expression at the sensation.

With the danger gone some of the students returned to their relaxed personalities.

"Soft. Cuddly." He muttered. Everyone looked astounded at that as Jirou drew the comparison. He was acting like a clingy toddler.

"Is him going overboard on power like Kaminari's? Only he doesn't go stupid."

"Hey!"

"It's true. He's acting like a toddler wanting to be with his teddy bear." Momo's jaw dropped at the insinuation when she heard that. She wanted to protest, but Midoriya was now nuzzling her neck. Her redness was starting to match her suit.

Takahashi paid no attention to them as he focused on Izuku. Momo was resembling a tomato when he knelt down.

"Boy." The teenager didn't respond as he wrapped his arms around Momo. "Would you kindly let go of your friend? I need to make sure you and her aren't hurt."

"I'm not hurt." He responded with a loopy smile. "And my snuggly buddy isn't hurt either. I protect."

"T-Takahashi please." The girl looked like she was about to faint at his ministrations. Some part of him wanted this to continue. It was pretty adorable with these two. Midoriya pulled himself closer as he adjusted himself to be sitting on her lap. "Takahashi!"

The others had no idea what to think of this when Midoriya leaned up and kissed her on the cheek. "Don't be sad! I'm here."

All Might sweatdropped at his successor's impersonation, but tried not to spit up in laughter at his other student's reaction. Momo was aghast by the kiss as her body went into overdrive. Her eyes became swirls when she passed out on the ground. Midoriya was surprised and poked her cheek.

"Poke. Poke. Squish." He chanted as he poked her. Takahashi snickered at the scene before coming back to his senses. The nurse moved behind him and gave a solid chop to the back of the neck. He was out like a light.

Takahashi picked him up and turned to the others. "The teacher's are going to round up the other villains. Wake Yaoyorozu up and head to the entrance, understand?"

"Yes Mr. Takahashi!" Most replied. Bakugou scoffed at him while Todoroki kept an eye on the nurse as well. Those two were still coming to terms with the fact that Midoriya's skills came from him. Still Todoroki complied and formed an ice cube. Putting it on the back of her neck, Momo woke up in complete disarray.

Takahashi gave one more soft smile before turning away. He disappeared in front of the group and reappeared at the entrance. Mina, Iida, Tsu, Mineta, and Ochako saw who was in his arms and ran over.

"Midori!"

"Deku!"

"Midoriya!"

"Izu." Takahashi shook his head as they got closer. They stopped in their place and for some reason knew it wasn't wise to approach just yet. He pointed at the rest of the class and they reluctantly reunited with the rest of their class. They all watched Takahashi leave with Midoriya and the teachers in tow.

Takahashi walked back to the class a second later without Izuku as he approached the class. He gave them all a look before giving them a thumbs up.

"Good job surviving you all have exceptional skill." Everyone was confused at that gesture when he gave them another look. "Who witnessed what happened to Izuku?"

Most were confused, but he could tell which ones did see Izuku with his new power. "This may seem out of the blue, but I want those who saw to keep it quiet for now. It's likely Midoriya won't remember this and I would like for him not to stress over this."

"Wait, what? You want us to keep quiet?" Todoroki asked. The police and staff were too busy rounding up the villains when Takahashi nodded.

"Trust me. You can talk about it amongst yourselves, but no one tells Midoriya. Do you understand?" He said. The class was confused as he asked them of that. However they agreed even if they didn't understand. Todoroki, Momo, and Bakugou, however kept a suspicious eye on that.

The police escorted them out. At that moment as the class rode back, the USJ invasion has finally come to an end.

At the end of the school day, All Might and Takahashi were sitting in the nurse's office. The door opened and a detective walked in. "All Might, Mr. Takahashi."

"Ah Takahashi, come here. Let me introduce you to a good friend on the force. Don't worry he knows about One for All. Naomasa Tsukauchi." The nurse got up and held out his hand. The two shared a firm handshake.

"It's good to meet another close ally of All Might."

"Likewise." Takahashi held up a cup of tea and offered it, but the detective declined. "So what brings you here?"

"Well I dropped by to check up on All Might and inform him of what we discovered from the small fry villains. Speaking of which, All Might have you done something? The principal informed me that you hit your limit this morning. I hope your not stressing yourself out. "

All Might finally noticed he was still in his muscle form. Even though it has been more than his current limit. He looked extremely surprised by this revelation when he got Takahashi's attention.

"Takahashi, I'm still in this form!" Tsukauchi looked confused as Takahashi was a bit conflicted.

"You there, detective." He called out. Naomasa turned to him. "Normally I would ask for some privacy with All Might, but if he trusts you enough to know about One for All I'll trust you with my secret."

"Secret?"

Takahashi nodded. "It's imperative. And something that involves All Might and his current status as the Symbol of Peace."

"You can feel free to talk about it with me later. We can have a more in-depth conversation another day when I have less of a workload on this attack. All Might if you still want, come join the police and help with the investigation." Takahashi nodded when the detective left and turned to All Might.

"I gave a good bit of my chakra at the USJ and since you didn't exceed your limit too badly today, it'll last for a few hours." Takahashi said as he closed his eyes.

He examined All Might through his sixth sense. Sure enough the white core All Might had was surrounded by blue flame inside it were remnants of One for All. "Originally when I learned of your wound I intended on healing it myself, but seeing how that scar has deeply affected the very structure of your body to the point where there's no way I can heal it without any unknown ramifications. So from now I'll instead feed you a supply of Chakra when you're reaching your limit."

"Y-You would honestly power me up everyday?"

Takahashi nodded. "Of course. Every since you told us of your condition, I've noticed that villains have been getting bold this past year alone. The Symbol of Peace needs to remain strong and if it keeps the peace for a little while longer I'll play my part."

Takahashi soon flashed him a serious glare with one of his eyes turning dark blue. "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm doing this to ensure you don't die for Izuku's sake. So don't go asking for it like a drug addict. I'll give you some when I choose to."

All Might looked shocked by this news as he looked at his hand. The power coursing through him, it was like he was never injured in the first place. Takahashi patted him on the shoulder and pointed at the door.

"I think for now, it's best you go investigate with the police. Your body has gained a few hours of power so I suggest you use it to find our enemies. And don't worry about Izuku. I know you wish to see him, but he requires Recovery Girl's aid." All Might looked at the bed and saw Midoriya sleeping peacefully.

The hero walked to the bedside and patted the boy's head, gently ruffling his hair. "Young Midoriya, I heard from your classmates how you fought valiantly to to protect them and save Aizawa. I even heard how you volunteered to stay behind and buy time for your friends to escape. There's little doubt in my mind, I chose the right successor. I'm proud of you my boy."

Midoriya shifted in the bed, but a warm smile graced his features. All Might brushed his knuckles against the teen's forehead before parting. He turned to Takahashi who was smiling warmly at them. All Might had a hint of a blush as he walked out.

"Careful now Toshinori." Takahashi said as he saw the Symbol of Peace leave. All Might gave a thumbs up. A few minutes passed by when he felt another presence at the doorway. Recovery Girl was still getting healing the teachers, but was needed to examine Izuku before leaving.

Getting up, Takahashi opened the door to see several of the students. Specifically Mina, Ochako, Mineta, Iida, and Momo. "Good evening Takahashi."

"Momo." He acknowledged as he stepped out. "You all should be heading home. Unless you haven't turned in your costumes there's no reason to stay."

Ochako was twiddling her fingers, but burst forward. "W-We need to hear about Deku! Is he okay?"

Everyone's eyes shifted when they heard that. Takahashi crossed his arms with a small grin on his face. "You do care for him don't you girl."

Ochako blushed, but didn't answer. Takahashi patted her on the head. "Do not worry. Izuku is in perfectly good condition. He's only unconscious because he drained himself most of his stamina. He'll be fine in a couple hours. So I suggest all of you go home."

His tone was final and slowly everyone left. Tsu and Mina shared a look into the room and saw Midoriya sleeping. Tsu could see the bite mark on his arm and she felt a twinge of guilt hit her heart. Most of them left, but Momo was the last.

She turned to leave when Takahashi put a hand on her shoulder. "You...you saw what happened to Izuku. That power."

"...that power?"

"The school is closing for the next two days to recover all injured personnel, upgrade security, and repair most damages. Come by Izuku's apartment during one of those days. I need to ask you a few questions on what you saw. Is there anyone else who witnessed it up close?"

Momo tried remembering. "Bakugou, Jirou, Kirishima, Kaminari, and Todoroki all saw the fight as well. Though if I were to be honest, Todoroki and I got the best look as we were the closest to the battle."

' _Then I'll have to interrogate Todoroki and provide counselling as well. I should probably extend the offer of counselling to the other 1-A students after Todoroki. These students just got a taste of battle, but their still children.'_

Takahashi let go of Momo's shoulder and put his hands in his pockets. He turned around and walked to the door. "Thank you Momo."

"You know what it is, don't you!" He stopped and faced the girl. Her eyes were piercing and it seemed to try and pry open his soul. "You know."

He sighed. "No, I don't. I didn't witness the power for myself so I have very little idea on what it is. Hopefully you and Todoroki can help me find out what it is. So get your facts straight when I ask you this weekend."

The door slammed shut and Momo was standing in front. Staring and helpless. She clutched at her chest when she remembered the cold eyes that stared down the Nomu. How brutal his attacks seemed and how fatal they would be if it wasn't for its regeneration. Yet she saw when it ended. When he looked at her.

She leaned towards the door and pressed her forehead against it. "Izuku...I made you promise not to hurt yourself. I was selfish to ask that as that was mostly for my well being not yours. So in return I promise to stick by your side and help you overcome what's happened to you. I...I want to be the hero you can rely on like All Might. I promise that as a future hero!"

The girl was met with silence when she got up and left. Unknown to her, Takahashi was right beside the door. He took in her words and gave a proud smile as he looked at Izuku.

"Boy. You better not mess this up. You only find a woman with that much resolve rarely." Midoriya groaned as he turned. Takahashi sat down and pulled out a book. Recovery Girl was still working.

 _A Few Hours Later_

Midoriya's eyes snapped open to the evening sky. His body felt like it was put through the the world's strongest wringer when he finally got some sense of self. He saw Takahashi standing by his side with most of his face neutral to his recovery, but his eyes conveying great relief.

"Boy." He helped Midoriya sit up as the teen tried to speak. His throat was parched and Takahashi brought a glass of water to his lips. His cracked lips drank up as he tried to speak again. "How're you feeling?"

"My back's sore." He replied. "What happened?"

"All Might and I managed to get the USJ in time. And don't worry about your friends. They're all safe and healthy." Midoriya's worry dissipated at the news. Yet he wondered about something else.

How was he alive? "Wait, so you managed to save me just when I was dropped into the Flood Zone?"

Takahashi gave a serious look when he answered. "Yes. We found you barely conscious in Momo's arms. And they gave me the most interesting account of the entire thing. You evaporated the lake and fought the Nomu before we arrived."

"What? That doesn't make any sense. I...My back was crushed and I was out of power! The only thing I remember was…" He stopped when he tried to remember what happened in the lake. Everything was a buzz in that memory. The only clear thing was the voices that whispered fight. That and feeling soft against his cheek.

He stopped and looked down. His arms weren't bandaged. The only thing to indicate damage was the bite mark he received from saving Tsu from one of the water villains. Takahashi noticed this and sat at the edge of his bed.

"Take your time." He said in a comforting tone. Midoriya didn't look exactly relaxed as he tried to remember. Before he could come to a conclusion, the door opened and Recovery Girl walked back in.

"Well if it isn't our most frequent visitor." Midoriya blushed and did remember that he's visited the nurse's more than others. Even if it was to see Takahashi and not for injuries. She handed him a candy and he ate it slowly.

Recovery Girl gave Takahashi a look and he grabbed a set of clothes. Passing them over, he gave them to Izuku. "I called your mother and she's waiting to come pick you up near the school. Get going and take it easy for the next couple of days. No training. Understand?"

The teen shook his head. His head still hurt and the slight tingling throughout his body reminded him of his pain. He got dressed and walked out the door quietly. He looked back and saw the two recovery staff waving at him. Takahashi saw something behind his eyes when Midoriya turned around and left the building.

The old man watched his student leave until he disappeared around the corner. Sighing, he sat down.

"You know despite all that's happened. You looked relaxed. If anything this villain attack would seem like a godsend to you. Has that part of you changed? I don't think so." Takahashi turned to Recovery Girl and sighed. He turned to the window and looked out in the distance. He could see his student in his peripheral view, but that wasn't his focus.

"You're right." He turned to her. "That villain attack was satisfying. For the first time in decades, I got a decent fight. But that also spells out something. Something we're both familiar when people actually have me fight."

Recovery Girl felt some sweat roll down the side of her head. "Maybe you've gotten soft in your old age."

"I age like wine Chiyo." He replied. "I only get better with age. Besides we'll need every bit of strength we can get. Despite not knowing what's out there, I know this era of peace is going to come crashing down. And it'll drag All Might and everyone else down when it does."

He looked regretfully at Midoriya as the boy walked home and seeing Inko at the entrance to greet him. The old man watched the duo hug and could see Inko was tearing up.

"You've shown great power today however with any power comes new challenges. I don't quite know what they'll be, but I'll find out. And I'm sorry boy. As the successor to both All Might and me you're path to power just became a lot more difficult. Be ready."

Takahashi crossed his arms as his eyes looked back at the horizon. Unknown to him at a far distance, two people were enjoying a drink. A father and his son. Despite how innocent those two looked their topic of discussion was anything, but that.

"Father." The boy asked. "At today, was that what we really sensed?"

"Yes my son." The father took a sip of his coffee. "Chakra and from the feel of it, it's strong. I dare say even to our level. It's not him though, but nothing is wrong with having another Chakra user join us."


	15. Chapter 15

_Water...that's what surrounded him. Midoriya opened his eyes to see the deep dark abyss. Feeling the burning sensation in his lungs. Clawing against the liquid he tried to move to the surface. Swimming up to the top, Midoriya popped out his head and took in a deep gulp of air._

 _That's when a black hand grabbed him by the back of the head and dragged him down. He could barely let out a scream as he felt himself being dragged back underneath the surface. Struggling against the hand, he tried turning his head to see who it was. His pupils shrunk in terror when he saw it was the Nomu._

 _It seemed to be grinning with its beak as it turned to its other hand. Despite being in the water, Midoriya could hear a clear crunch reverberate through his soul. The Nomu was eating something. He tried to see what it was eating, but screamed out bubbles as the crimson stream pour from the neck._

 _It was Momo's! Not only that, but the corpses of his other classmates decorated the water. Midoriya could only feel the terror and anger build up as bloody murder rocked his throat. Something welled up inside him as he felt heat within his core. White-hot and ready to burst. He closed his eyes tightly…_

And opened them to see the ceiling. He gasped for breath and got up. Midoriya was sweating like a pig as he tried to calm himself down. Taking a moment and using some of the breathing exercises Takahashi taught him, the teen managed to get a hold of himself.

Snapping to his desk, he grabbed his phone and checked his notifications. News from the attack and hero updates were there, but so was a text. It was from Momo.

 _M: Izuku, I hope you're feeling better. If you not then I'll be coming by for a visit in a few days after all this fiasco is over. Feel free to call._

His beating heart calmed down once he read the text three times over. Sniffling, he wiped any leftover tears off his face. He looked outside before throwing on a sweater, grabbing his training equipment, and his backpack. He grabbed his wraps and covered his right arm with fresh ones. Over the villain scar.

Before leaving, Midoriya left a small note on the counter saying he went out for a run. Inko would understand.

Quietly shutting the door, Midoriya hopped down the steps and off towards a familiar training spot. The beach.

It seemed weird that having a nightmare from being drowned that the solution would head to the dark depths of the ocean. He sat down on the sand before trying to relax. "Calm down. Calm down. You're safe."

Getting up, he threw a few punches. Ten minutes have passed with just him punching his feelings out. Sweeping his leg across the sand, Midoriya let the adrenaline take over his body as he became a fluid figure in the night. Turning over to one of the bigger rocks, Midoriya visualized the Nomu and punched right through it.

5% of One for All began to unconsciously pump through him. Pink lightning sparked on the sand as he punched it again. Again and again and again his fists dug in deeper into the rocks. The skin was scraped as he continued.

It finally end when he lifted his leg and basically decapitated the top of the rock. It went sailing into the ocean, skipping along the surface before plopping underneath the surface.

Midoriya panted hard as he slid down against the rock. His fists were sore and bloody. "Damn."

The crashing waves did little to calm him as he felt his frustrations bubble to the surface. Flashes of his battles replay in his head as he remembered that despite getting ahead of Shigaraki he still was outclassed by Nomu. No matter how much he tried to reason to himself that he couldn't win, Midoriya could just feel the weakness tower over him.

"I don't get it. Why won't this feeling leave?!"

His frustration brought up his chakra and One for All. His closed fist sparked pink lightning when he struck the rock. It shattered into a bunch of tiny pieces. He was caught off guard at it. "That's new. Wait!"

His mind flashed back to the USJ when he blasted the Nomu. Something within him made his powers work in sync. The same rush that came from destroying the Zero Pointer. He got up and looked at the rock then back to his hand.

The very arm was shaky. As he clutched it, Midoriya looked at his left hand. Closing his eyes, he activated Full Cowling. Pink lightning sparked from his body as volcanic veins wrapped around his body.

"Focus. Focus. Five Percent Full Cowling!" He grunted. The sand began to rise as he continued to increase his power.

"7 Percent!" He tried to push out more. "10 PERCENT!"

When he reached his current comfortable peak, Izuku then tried to summon his chakra. He could feel his core. As he tried to pull it out a green ring of fire wrapped around him. It rose up higher and higher and Midoriya felt it rock his body.

Before it all fell apart and Midoriya was on his knees puking his guts out. Yesterday's lunch was presented right in front of him.

"Damn it!" He coughed out. "I don't get it. I was able to do it against the Nomu and the Zero Pointer. What can possibly fix this?"

He kicked some sand over his mess and grabbed his backpack. Flicking on a flashlight he pulled out a pen. Clicking it, he pulled out his notebook and began writing.

 _Synchronizing Conflicting Energies- Full Cowling V.2_

Tapping his pen against his chin Midoriya started jotting down notes. The two events that got synchronized the events and what factors included them. He, however, replaced the term One for All with Inner Strength.

"Sorry Takahashi, I...After the USJ, I know there's no way I can take things easy. I need to improve both my control of your power and All Might's. I need to find a way to make it my own." He pulled out his bracelets and changed the weight of it. He felt the heaviness and lifted his arms up.

The night sky slowly turned into a morning dawn and Midoriya woke up to a soft poke on his cheek. He groaned and didn't realize he fell asleep. Softly groaning, he opened his eyes to see something pink.

"-idori." The voice sounded weird for a second. He focused and heard it clearly. "Midori."

His eyes snapped open as he looked to see Mina Ashido standing above him. Not only that, but in admittingly desirable bikini. Midoriya noted the black and purple stripes on it before realizing he was staring. Instinctively, he rolled backwards and launched off his hands onto his feet.

"Wow, ten points for a fast get up." He tried to catch his breath when he really looked at her. She had the bikini top on, but her lower half was wrapped around in a cloth. Sighing, he composed himself. "You, my good man, look terrible."

"Huh?" The teen had no idea how grungy he looked sleeping on the sad. Bags under his eyes, bloodshot eyes, and a slouching position. "Oh Mina. Hi."

"Hello to you to Class Rep. I see you had the same idea and came to the beach."

"Idea?" He groggily responded. He was working so hard on his new idea that he had a few dreamless hours of sleep. And it left a bad taste in his mouth of sand. "Oh right. Yeah, I was...very exhausted yesterday and wanted some peace."

Mina's cheerful attitude shifted. Through Momo, she heard what happened to Midoriya. About how he was crushed and how he came back. However Takahashi swore them to secrecy for his sake. It wasn't something she liked, but she had to trust U.A. "You hungry?"

A growl from his stomach was heard at the mention of hunger. Midoriya cracked a bashful smile as he laughed awkwardly. "A little."

Mina pointed at her spot and Midoriya saw his bag there. "Well grab things. I moved your stuff before any jerks would take it for themselves."

She was about to turn when she saw two black bracelets on his wrists. "Hey when did you wear bracelets?"

Mina leaned closer and tried lifting his arm for a closer look. She was surprised by the amount of weight. Midoriya was surprised when she seemed to struggle until he realized what it was coming from.

"Crap, sorry." He decreased the weight on the bracelets and lifted it closer. "Normally when I have time to train I use these weights to help me."

"Holy crap Midori, you train with these things? No wonder you could lift that monster off the ground." He looked confused when she elaborated. "Tsu told us how you and Mineta trapped that monster and you, being the strong man you are, throwing it into the water."

"Still sorry."

"You can thank me by having breakfast with me. I know this cafe nearby." The two walked over and she put on a t-shirt over herself. "I heard when you bite into this food you'll feel as though your body's been reborn."

"Is that so?" Midoriya replied tiredly. She nodded and soon found themselves at said cafe. They both ordered and got drinks. She happily sipped on her orange juice while Midoriya drank his water.

They were silent when Mina noticed his knuckles. They were wrapped, but she could see some of the blood seeping through. "Midori. Why are your knuckles hurt?"

"Huh? Oh I was...training."

"Really? Wow, I gotta admit that's pretty hardcore. We all just got out of the most intense situation and you still think you gotta train. Don't you ever want to take a break." Midoriya laughed harshly at the advice Takahashi gave him before dropping his head on the table. "Midori?"

He took a moment to compose himself before sitting up. "Yeah, yeah I should take a break but I don't know. Since yesterday I just couldn't sleep and I needed…"

Midoriya rubbed his right arm unconsciously. The scar from the villain was something he could say he got from saving Tsu, but honestly it just brings more pain. He clenched his fist tightly. "I just needed something to take my mind off it."

Mina reached over and put her hand over his hand as he looked away. Seeing a vulnerable Midoriya was different to say the least. He turned to her hand while she was giving him a serious look.

"I'm sure you do. It was scary Midori, none of us could help that we were invaded. But this looks more like a harmful distraction." She gestured at his knuckles as she unwrapped them. The blood has dried, but she ignored it to look at the bite mark. "Trust me, the last thing we need to show villains is that they're getting to us."

He looked at her surprised before his expression melted into understanding. "Thanks. Sorry for letting this damper breakfast."

"No problems, because here it comes!" She broke into a happy smile when a few plates of fresh food came out. They looked happy to see it until the waiter walked past them to deliver it to another patron. A dark cloud of sadness came over the two as the shadows hid their eyes. "Aw man. I thought it was."

"Can I be sad about the previous thing. This one hurts more than Nomu." Midoriya said with a hint of humor behind it. Mina giggled at his little joke as he gave a small smile. The doors opened again and two plates of breakfast were placed right in front of them.

They both had sparkles in their eyes as they saw all the freshly cooked food. Midoriya took the first bite and felt his taste buds explode. He was almost crying by how delicious it was. "Oh my God!"

"I know right!" Mina said before digging in. "I heard the chef here has a quirk that allows him to execute any dish he has equivalent to five-star restaurant. Not only that, but it makes feel like a billion yen!"

Midoriya nodded before the two ate their fill. Half an hour later of eating and talking, Mina pulls back while patting her belly. "Whew that was delicious."

"Yeah it was." The bill came and Midoriya reached inside his backpack. Mina noticed and pulled out her wallet. "Wait, you don't have to pay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I owe you this much." He put the money down before getting up and stretching. Mina pondered on that before thinking of something else.

"Actually you're not done yet."

"Huh?"

Mina held out her hand and gestured at his phone. He reluctantly gave it to her and she typed something in. Afterwards she took two selfies with it. He raised an eyebrow at that. Tossing it back, she pulled out her phone and texted something. His phone rang and it showed Mina's name.

"You wanted my number?" He asked. Then he examined the text and saw it was address. "What?"

"That is our little rendezvous point. Because tonight Midori, I'm taking you dancing."

Midoriya blinked before he turned red. "WHAT?! B-But I-I can't can't dance."

"Oh hush. I've seen you fight. You got rhythm and you're definitely flexible enough to pull off some sick moves. Besides if you want to do something physical, but not train then join me at this local dance club. It'll be fun."

"B-but I…" She gave him a small pout. "Sure."

Mina pumped her fists in victory as she held his hands. "Awesome. Don't worry Midori. Even if you got two left feet, I'm sure you'll be a quick learner. So meet me here around six at this address. I'm looking forward to it."

Midoriya watched her leave and he looked back at his photos. It was a selfie of Mina, but there were actually two of them. One was a smiling one, but the other was a kissy face one. He flipped over to his contacts he saw it was _Mina 3_.

He sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Good-"

"-grief. I'm glad Nezu took my suggestion of offering counselling to the students, but I didn't expect that many of the parents to respond so fast. I'll have to conduct my counselling over the next month." Takahashi said. He adjusted his long coat while he looking at address on his phone. It matched and it was good that he access to the student files. Walking up to the door, Takahashi rang the doorbell. "Luckily a family member of Todoroki's family accepted the call. This gives me a valid reason to talk to the boy."

A minute passed when some footsteps could be heard. The door opened and Takahashi took note of the woman in front him. Average high, casual clothes, glasses on her face. Most prominent feature was her white hair with traces of red in it.

"Good day. How may I help you?" She asked.

"Hello, I'm Takahashi. The resident nurse of U.A high school. I sent out a message about counselling to the class 1-A students that may need it. This household accepted. Is Shoto Todoroki here?" The woman nodded.

"Oh I answered your call. Thank you very much for coming here. Shoto! You have a guest." No answer. She sighed and gestured inside. He took off his shoes and took note of the decor. "By the way I'm Fuyumi Todoroki. Would you like any drinks?"

"No thank you." He said as he recognized the style.

' _Very traditional japanese home life and structure. I'm guessing as the Number Two hero money is of little concern.'_ He followed Fuyumi. Takahashi looked around and noticed a few of the pictures. Some were of Shoto and others with his family. Then he noticed one of family pictures. Shoto, Fuyumi, two brothers, the hero Endeavour, and another woman.

It was quite different as Shoto had no scar back then. And the second was the woman next to them. This one with full white hair. It wasn't hard to assume that it was his mother.

"Is there any parents in house Fuyumi?" The sister flinched at the question, but hid it quickly.

"Unfortunately, our mother is the hospital and Endeavour is...out patrolling." He could tell by the implications in her voice that this was a sensitive subject. He decided not to press the issue as they continued walk forward. He kept eyes focused forward when another boy walked in. His hair matched his sister's.

"Hey sis, who's the old guy? Is that a relative of mom's?" He eyed curiously. Takahashi raised an eyebrow before glancing at mirror. His hair did match theirs in a way. Still he wasn't aware of an ancestry he had with the Todoroki's.

"No. I'm here from U.A." His tone must've been something as they both reacted a bit from it. "Good grief. I'm just here to see your brother Shoto as he may need counselling from the recent villain attack."

"Pfft. I doubt he needs counselling for that."

"Natsou!" She slapped her brother's shoulder.

"What? It's true! And we're not going to talk about this in front of him."

"So?"

Takahashi growled in the back of his throat. His investigation was originally going to start with Momo, but her parents had busy with another task and he needed to start with the closest observers of Izuku's new power. This entire mystery could reveal what's happened and any future precautions for him to take for both Izuku and everyone else. So he's a bit antsy to start.

The two siblings stopped squabbling about it when they heard him growl. They were surprised by his level of intimidation despite never changing his expression. Fuyumi shot a glare at her brother as she led him away.

"Shoto should be in the training room. Whenever he isn't studying or reading, he's training."

"Sounds simple enough." Still he was a teacher and despite his investigation, he needed to know his students outside of files. "Is there any reason he seems like a shut in. I've watched him these past few days. He's very efficient in his work yet he seems dead set on just that."

"Well our father is the Number Two hero and since Shoto has both our parent's powers he's been doing his best to live up to that potential."

Takahashi looked at her. "Both? I know of his father, but Shoto hasn't shown any sign of using fire abilities." He noticed the shift in body language from her. Sensitive subject. "Regardless there's no need to tell me anymore. Any other information I'll learn about Shoto, I'll learn from him."

They stopped in front of the training room and opened it. Takahashi saw Todokoki's right side covered in frost. The bi-colored teen let out a shaky sigh and heated up his left side. Takahashi could feel the heat.

' _Hm, a student with two quirks. Element emission of fire and ice. A deadly combination. I see why Endeavour would train him so hard.'_

"Hello Fuyumi. What's Mr. Takahashi doing here?"

"He's here to offer counselling to the students that were part of the USJ invasion. So it involves you too little brother." Takahashi waved, but Shoto ignored him. There was a tense atmosphere and Fuyumi could tell when it was time to leave. "Well I'll be around if you need me. Feel free to call if you need anything."

She left the two alone and Takahashi took out a notebook. "So how're you feeling?"

"This is about Midoriya right?" The old man briefly expressed shock before his poker face was brought back up. "You were quite insistent on keeping us quiet. And I'm guessing you heard about the group that was closest to it."

Takahashi smiled. "Good deduction. Yes I'm here on behalf of the mystery of what happened to Izuku. I sensed a massive swell of power coming from him and I intend to find out what it is. It will be unreasonable not to know what is. Besides if it's a possible threat to both the school and himself we can't exactly take it down without any proper information."

"You seem more than capable considering both you and Midoriya took on that creature with relative ease."

' _At Izuku's current level there's no way he could fight against something designed for All Might. And now that I think about it, the swell of power was more less equal to what I normally put out in a fight.'_

Todoroki crossed his arms. "And considering you trained him, I'm confused on why you wouldn't know about his power."

"That's relevant, but no one is all knowing in this world." He opened a page and put his pen on it. "But indulge in what you witnessed. I'll leave here when I get the chance."

Todoroki didn't answer before giving a small nod. He went on to explain all of what he witnessed from the incredible speed, strength, regeneration, and fire ability.

"Fire?"

"Yeah. He sucked in bunch of air and exhaled green fire. It basically melted the Nomu done to the bone. Truth be told it seemed even stronger than my father's. And I hate to give my old man credit but if there's anything that man is, it's strong."

Takahashi pondered on that as he wrote fire on the list. He sighed frustrated. ' _Damn. I was getting somewhere close with the boosted power his battle traits, but now he can breath fire. Now I'm back at square one.'_

Then a memory struck. Inko had a telekinetic quirk, but Hisashi allegedly had a fire breathing quirk. Now new ideas came into his mind. Did this new state activate the latent power within Izuku? How come it activates here, but not at birth? His mind was racing with ideas before he put a tack on them. Questions for later.

"Is that all?"

"No. I still have my job as a U.A staff member. How are you doing?" Todoroki looked caught off guard by the question. "I find it surprising that during the whole attack you've barely reacted to most things. I understand you're training to be a great hero, but you're still a child. Either you're good at holding a front or you've faced enough trauma to where a villain attack barely fazes you."

Todoroki's eyes told the whole story. He gave the old man the coldest gaze he could muster. "What do you know of it?"

"I know your mother is in the hospital, you and your siblings have a less than ideal level of love for your father, and that's not a birthmark." The air grew tense as Takahashi was prying closer and closer. "I also assume that you refuse to use the fire abilities you've been gifted with."

"What does any of that mean?"

"Exactly what it means." Takahashi noted. "I understand that such a power could've been handy."

He saw Todoroki's fists clench. "If you want me to stop then say so."

"I think it will be better if you would leave." Takahashi stopped his prying and got up.

"If you say so, but remember my door is open." Todoroki didn't say anything as Takahashi left. The door closed when he slammed his fist against the door.

Fuyumi was watching from the corner as Takahashi walked down the hall. He walked past her to the doors. "Um, Mr. Takahashi is there anything you learned?"

"Plenty. Shoto seems fine if a little shaken. Give him some time and things will be normal." He responded as he slipped on his shoes. He turned and saw Fuyumi looking a little disappointed. "There's nothing you can do to help your brother except being with him when things go south. You're strong enough to do so."

She was surprised by his words when he got the door and left the compound. Fuyumi just let those words sink in.

As Takahashi walked down the street to his car, he mulled over what Todoroki told him. He looked at his notes before closing his notebook when he remembered the household and the pictures of Shoto's past.

"Gimme a break." He said as he wanted to focus.

 _A Few Hours Later_

Midoriya felt a little awkward. After relaxing a little since he got back from the beach, he spent an hour getting ready for Mina's arrival. Dancing. Something he never thought he'd go to in his life. Despite feeling refreshed from the cafe and their little talk, Midoriya still felt uneasy.

Before changing he twisted around and saw a massive scar on his back. It looked like his skin was utterly destroyed and resemble almost a comic book pow sign. It was really ugly. Tracing his fingers over it, he shivered slightly as he remembered all the pain he went through.

Midoriya took a deep breath as he put on his shirt.

Looking in the mirror. It was simple t-shirt, flannel combo with dark green pants. He patted himself for one last boost of confidence before walking out the door.

"Bye Mom, I'll be back."

"Come home safely." She shouted back. Inko was still worried, but needed to trust the heroes that villain activity would not happen anywhere near her son today. Midoriya walked out and followed to the address.

He didn't have to wait long when saw someone run at him. "Midori, catch me!"

"Mina!" He caught her when she jumped up and held her bridal style. "What the hell?"

"Just had to make sure you were up to the task." She hopped off and patted her pants. "Well how don't you look dapper."

He didn't really respond when he noticed how dressed up she was. It was casual, but a formal casual. She had a black skinny jeans on coupled with a magenta top. Midoriya tried not to look at how it clung to her.

"Come on." She grabbed his hand and led him away. The two walked on until they approached a building with muffled music blaring out. Izuku felt nervous when Mina turned to him. "So Midori welcome to the Stardust Dance Club! Your one way ticket to dance central. You ready?"

"Ah, can I get a moment to prepare?"

"Nope!" She cheerfully responded. She opened the door and were met with security. They let them pass and the place looked like a club. Techno music played as Mina finally let go of his hand and opened her arms.

"Well?"

"It's loud." He tried to say over the music. She nodded and leaned in.

"Here, let's jump in. If you're fine with that." She said. Midoriya wanted to say no, but Mina did go all this way to show him some fun. He reluctantly nodded and she pulled him in. Bodies were bumping as Midoriya tried to move around.

Mina slid right into the music. It was wild and chaotic yet she seemed in total control over it. Midoriya tried to do it too when he swung his arm and his hand grazed someone's head.

"Hey!" Some guy yelled. Midoriya quickly moved away as Mina realized it. She pulled him away as he was looking more and more embarrassed.

"Try not to knock them out ok?" Midoriya nodded as he tried to dance. It was wobbly and stiff. Mina sighed watching him struggle. "You're doing fine."

' _I'm not doing fine!'_ He whined as he felt his self worth slowly diminish with each step.

 _Meanwhile_

Takahashi was examining his notes at a local bar. The drinks were cold and he needed to take the edge off. Sipping his beer, the old man began reviewing today's notes. That's when he heard a voice call him.

"Yoohoo! Takahashi!" He looked up and saw Midnight. She was in more casual clothes and had her hair tied up. "Takahashi, come here you old stinker."

"Good grief." He closed his notebook and put it in his bag. "Evening Midnight. A pleasure to see you. You're not patrolling this tonight?"

"Not tonight. With the villain attack local police and heroes have begun to intensify their proceedings. So I just happen to not be on today's schedule so for once I get to have a night out!" She cheerfully explained.

Takahashi tipped the brim of his hat. "Is that so? Well I hope you have a nice evening Midnight. I'll see you around."

"Hold it!" She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and brought him down. "Come on Takahashi. I didn't call you here to wish me a good evening. I need someone to hang out with and you look less than busy."

He didn't respond, but sat down. She let go of his arm and held up her hand. "Two shots here please! And keep them coming."

"You intend on getting shit faced?"

"Not intentionally, but the evening is still so young." She sighed on the last word and Takahashi felt another sweat drop. The bartender put two shot glasses down and left the two to their devices. "Well?"

"Thank you for the drink Midnight." They two drank, thee bartender refilled.

"You're welcome Takahashi. Though, I got to say it's a bit weird you're calling me my hero name. We're off duty, civilian names are fine. Here I'm Nemuri Kayama."

"Takahashi." He introduced himself. They drank again and they given a refill. "M-Nemuri."

She winked. "That's better. So what brings you to this place? Stiff drink for the evening? Scoping out the area?"

"Research and counselling." He held up a notebook. "I sent out a notification to the student's parents that if they was anyone in need of counselling I would be available. So I've been a bit booked for the time being."

"Oh yeah. Poor kids. There were going to eventually fight villains, but it was expected to be around their internships. Not during a rescue exercise."

"That just gives us even more reason to have them ready and train them to their highest potential. Besides given how most were unharmed, I'd say we got a decent batch." He took another drink. Nemuri's expression conveyed a more serious appearance as she sipped her shot.

"You seem pretty fired up. I mean I did see you and All Might leap into danger." She pondered on that. "Speaking of which, you're a lot more powerful than you let on. Mister speedster."

Takahashi chuckled. "Alright you found me out. I primarily focus healing, but I've been known to use my skills for more proactive moments."

The two had another drink and Nemuri noticed herself getting more woozy, but noticed Takahashi was barely fazed. "Hey you seem to hold your liquor quite good."

"Hm? Oh well I guess so. The best conventional alcohol has done was have me relax." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a flask. "This on the other hand can get me drunk. Though if you to drank it, it would leave you a quivering mess."

"Ho oh a challenge?" Her eyes sparkled at the supposed proposition. Takahashi shook his head and looked at the bartender.

"Tell you what. You survive a few shots of this and I'll admit defeat my...lovely coworker."

She smirked as he poured her one shot. ' _A distraction, but maybe not a bad one. Eh what could go wrong'_

 _Back at Stardust Dance Club_

Mina had to move Midoriya to a more isolated corner of the club after he accidently kicked the back of lady's knee. He was now all red from pure embarrassment.

"Damn. I-I'm sorry Mina. I don't think I'm cut out for dance." All of his instincts were hardwired for fighting. Not breakdancing or just moving in general. "I'm sorry for ruining this evening."

Mina looked a little discouraged by that when an idea popped in her head. Her expression changed from worried to teaching.

"You, my broccoli colored friend, are way too...tense for this." Mina gestured at all of this. These limbs brought pain, but they need to work on it. She grabbed his hands and tried to calm him down. "Bring it down a notch. Dancing is an energetic thrill ride. If you mix it up with fighting you could ruin it for everyone else. Start with listening to the beat and we'll go from there."

He nodded and took a deep breath. The music flowed through him and he tapped his foot to the beat. Letting it take over, Midoriya took a few experimental steps. Mina seemed to like his groove and moved in sync with him.

"That's it Midori. You're getting it." She said as he moved with her. The world seemed to turn into smears of color as Midoriya felt something crawl through him. Joy and freedom. Those two feelings became more expressive as he moved faster. Soon he and Mina were moving along well.

She swung her hips and watched as he became more fluid. He even copied her movements. "Good! Now-whoa!"

He grabbed onto her hands and pulled her in this time. His smile was bright and his eyes were shining in the club.

Mina's heart was beating as Midoriya was swinging alongside her. How it started from her trying to stop him from hitting people to with him leading her was still causing a whiplash in her head. The music kept going until Midoriya pulled her in.

A lilac blush graced her cheeks as the music slowed down. "Ok Midori, you good at slow dancing?"

"Better than my fast dancing." He quipped back. She put her head on his shoulder as the music slowed down for them. Midoriya actually relaxed into the dance as it was simple two step. They were basically swaying with each other. "Thanks."

"Huh?"

"Taking me out. I...I didn't anyone to take me out for these kinds of activities. It's...nice. Really nice. I like it." His heart was beating at that confession, but he calmed it down quickly. Meanwhile Mina was smiling with a blush. It seemed weird to think, but in four days she ended up feeling for the guy.

"You're welcome." She mumbled back as the music dipped into a new tone. ' _Sorry Yaoyorozu, Uraraka. I kind of like Midoriya.'_

They pulled back and Midoriya let out a tired breath. "Whew that was something. Wanna get a drink?"

The two ended up buying some smoothies and were drinking it outside. Mina with strawberry/banana and Izuku with apple. Midoriya had a happy smile on his face. "That was fun! I didn't think I would have this much fun honestly."

"That's right. Mina Ashido, fun giving extraordinaire! You know you got some good dancing potential. Especially shaking those hips." Midoriya blushed as she commented on that. He turned red as she pulled him in closer when they put down their smoothies. "Oh don't feel too bad Midori. I'm just teasing."

The green-haired boy nodded. "I know. Still I kind of…"

"Kind of?"

"You taught me a small bit. Maybe I could learn more."

He turned to Mina and saw she had stars in her eyes. Which when you include the black abyss you call her sclera seemed to shine like the night sky. He gulped nervously as she seemed to get closer.

"You want me to teach you the art of the breakdance?"

"O-or not." She shook her head.

"Of course I'll teach you! Next week I'll find us sometime to try it out. And I would love to pass on some of great knowledge to you my dear Midori!" He turned red as she picked up a cup and held it up to the sky. "So get ready!"

She slurped her smoothie deeply when she noticed the weird taste. It was apple flavored. Mina looked at Midoriya looking at her confused when she slowly pulled the straw from her lips as she thought what just happened.

Quietly putting it down, Mina was blushing hard. Midoriya tilted his head like a puppy at her sudden quiet disposition. "Mina?"

"Let's get going! It's kind of late!" She got up and walked fast. Midoriya got up and followed. They left their drinks behind while the moon watched over them.

 _Back at the Bar_

' _Gimme a break. I warned that this would make her a quivering mess.'_ Takahashi thought to himself as he dragged Nemuri off the bar. The bet between the two ended how he expected when Midnight basically sunk into a new level of drunk. The fumes themselves got her blushing, but she still proceeded to drink it through. It was almost admirable. However it took a turn for the worse when she activated her quirk unknowingly.

Several patrons passed out and Takahashi had to pull her off the premises or else action had to be taken. The woman was blissfully unaware of her current status and was tugging at Takahashi's coat. ' _Just ignore it.'_

"Tha's unfere. I vas winning." She slurred. "You cheated."

"Nemuri I warned you that I was going to win. That alcohol has rumored to have been resting for over a century. I think if you had anymore you would die of alcohol poisoning." Nemuri stuck her tongue out. "Real mature."

"Thaat's chat I am. The besst Ar rated her...o." He couldn't help but snicker at her attempts to speak. She tugged at his shirt before patting his chest. The R-Rated hero gave it another two pats.

Takahashi could feel her grin growing. "~Oh my. This is quite the chest. Firm and from feel of it...sculpted~"

Her speech seemed to have gotten better when she was focusing on something.

"Off woman." He gently pushed her hand away.

Nemuri seemed even more shameless as she suddenly stopped him and gripped the sides of his jacket. "Really? You would tell a woman to stop touching that magnificent chest of yours. Especially when I know someone who hasn't gotten... _laid_ in a long time."

Takahashi's eye twitched as Nemuri continued to push him. "It doesn't matter. You're drunk. Your consent means nothing."

"So mean!" She latched onto his arm and squeezed his bicep. "A silver fox like you would love a vixen like me. I could do things to blow you-ACK!"

He chopped the back of her neck and put her on his back in a piggyback fashion. "Down girl. Damn, I was going to drop you off at your place, but this already looks suspicious. My home's just a few blocks away. You can rest there despite everything."

Nemuri didn't respond. "I know you can't hear, but don't drool the jacket. Otherwise I'm dropping you."

He carried on when he bumped into a couple. "Oh excuse-"

"No I'm sorry, sir." The two looked at each other and recognized the other. Midoriya and Takahashi locked eyes and both noticed their partners. Midoriya saw Takahashi holding up Midnight on his back while Takahashi saw Mina was holding onto Midoriya's arm. Rather intimately.

"Boy."

"Takahashi."

"Yo nurse Takahashi!"

Midnight snorted in her unconscious state. Mina looked at the two and suddenly her shipping goggles came up.

Midoriya saw that look and beat her to the punch. "What're you doing here? With Ms. Midnight?"

"I was getting a drink with a coworker. We got into a bet, but I won. Now I'm taking her home. Though now I could ask you the same. You two look very...chummy." Despite not looking like he cared, Takahashi had a slight hope that it was…

"I-It's not what it looks like. Mina was helping me today. We spent a good amount of the day together and she took me out dancing!" Midoriya quickly explained. Mina nodded.

"So you spent time with a girl. Say it's a date next time to save both breath and time. Also Mina Ashido, expect your session sometime next week." He said before walking off. Midoriya was blushing red while Mina seemed to be turning purple at the mention of it. ' _Izuku, I knew you had a loveable charm to the girls but I thought you got only Momo and possibly Ochako.'_

"But it wasn't a date!" Midoriya almost shouted, but Takahashi waved him off. He put his face in his hands in embarrassment. Mina chuckled as the teacher disappeared.

"Aw don't worry Midori. He's probably teasing. After all I was holding you quite close." She took a bold step forward and pressed herself against his arm. Midoriya blushed as he looked away. The two continued walking on. They walked in silence, but it was enjoyable for Mina who was enjoying holding onto him. When they reached Midoriya's complex she finally let go. "So this where I drop you off."

"Mina are you sure about doing this? I should walk you home." He said. "After all it would be the gentleman kind of way to do so."

"No it's fine. This was my suggestion so I get to drop you off. Besides next time we do this you can drop me off."

"N-Next time?"

"Yeah. I promised you breakdancing lessons remember." He looked relieved when she leaned a bit closer. "Though if you want, we could just have another date."

"Date?" He squealed when she gave a cheeky smile.

She patted him on the back. "Hey don't freak out too badly. Dates can mean a lot of things."

"S-sorry. I'm not much of a social butterfly so I just assume dates are...more intimate meetings." He stuttered.

Mina pondered on that before gaining a mischievous look on her face. "Well I guess by your definition then it should with some token of affection. Like this."

She gave a quick peck on the cheek and she could swear he was glowing red. Mina giggled at his expression before grabbing his hand and stopping him from responding. "I had fun Midori. You're a fun guy. So don't worry."

Midoriya looked at their clasped hands when she pulled it up. "And if you're ever feeling distressed or scared. I'm here. Anyways I'll see you around Class Rep!"

That made him genuinely look at her when she let go and ran off into the dark. She was blushing brightly with her heart beating a million times per second. ' _Damn, this crush was making my teasing way harder than it had to be. Still...I should include a few slow dances when I teach him dancing.'_

 _ **Omake**_

"Izuku!" Inko cried out as she held onto him. "I saw everything! She looks sweet!"

"Mom." He groaned as he got ready to sleep.

"She's not Yaoyorozu though. To be honest I thought you would take her out first." Inko said with a pondering look.

"Mom!" He stopped when he saw her questioning gaze when a thought popped into his head. "By the way you didn't hear this from me, but I saw Takahashi head home with a woman near a bar."

Inko's eyes shined at thews as questions began to break through. Meanwhile Takahashi was tucking in Midnight when he felt a chill run up his spine. "I don't why, but Izuku's getting a harsher lesson this week."

Midnight groggily kissed his hand and Takahashi withdrew it fast. "Woman."

She giggled in her sleep as he walked out and left a bottle of water on the nightstand.


	16. Chapter 16

" _Here." Momo said as she passed a sandwich to Izuku. The two were enjoying a nice picnic together near a lake. The USJ all, but a distant thought in their heads. Midoriya gladly took the sandwich and looked at here._

" _Thank you." He said cheerfully. "Hey I've got a surprise for you."_

 _Momo blinked. "A surprise?"_

 _He nodded and leaned kissing her on the cheek. She felt a fiery blush grace her cheeks when he pulled back with a cheeky grin. "Wait here."_

 _He got up and left her by her lonesome. Still when she was alone she danced a little victory dance at the kiss. Visibly swooning, the rich girl knew this was going to go somewhere. Momo took a moment to compose herself when she thought Izuku would be coming back. A minute passed before…_

 _ **BOOM!**_

 _The ground shook and Momo didn't expect that. Yet now her hero instincts forced herself to her feet. The lovely dress that adorned her was replaced with her her costume. Momo looked confused for a second when she saw the soft grass was replaced with concrete._

" _What?" She turned around and saw all of her friends only most of them had ghost-like eyes staring in front of her._

 _ **BOOM!**_

 _The ground shook again and she turned to the source. Her heart stopped when she saw Izuku on the ground. His aura was wrapped around him like a blanket yet blood was seeping out of him through the various gashes on his body. Next to him was the Nomu. Its fingers were bloody and had a maniacal grin on its face._

" _IZUKU!" She bolted towards him._

" _Get...Away!" Izuku begged with tears in his eyes, hand outstretched toward her. "Stay...Far...Away. Don't...Fight. Not...Strong Enough."_

" _But-!" She tried to argue._

" _They're...Invincible. You...can't save...me. Run...Please." The green aura losts its color and broke away like dust in the win as Midoriya's eyes slowly lost their last bit of life. She didn't know care as she tried to get closer. That's when Momo's friends sprung into action and held her back. She tried to protest but her lips could barely say anything. Her hand stretched to meet his when the Nomu lifted his fist and…_

 _ **BOOM!**_

Momo let out a scream as she rose like a possessed woman. She could barely breathe when she noticed that she wasn't in her hero costume or the USJ. Quickly wiping her tears, Momo got out of bed to see the breaking dawn.

"It's just a dream. Another horrible dream." She muttered to herself. "He's still here. He's still alive. He's not dead."

Taking another moment to compose herself Momo found her phone with a message from an unknown number.

 _?: I took this from Izuku's phone during the USJ Incident. Remember to be at Izuku's apartment around 9. It's also Takahashi btw._

She sighed and looked at the clock. It was around 7. Enough time to get some food and clean herself up. The rising sun greeted her at the window.

 _Meanwhile_

Another woman awoke from her slumber. Nemuri opened her eyes to a splitting headache. She cringed at the sun beaming in. Sitting up, the teacher rubbed her head when she noticed that this bed was not hers.

"Huh?" She said to herself when she realized what it was. "Oh my!"

Her headache took a backseat as she tried to remember what happened. There was Takahashi, a bar, several drinks, and him pulling her away from the establishment. The conclusion in her head became more and more naughty. She blushed as she stumbled out of bed.

Midnight walked around the place and looked for the source of the noise. She saw Takahashi talking on the phone.

"No I was just working out, you didn't interrupt me. What is it?...Really that bad? You had to use that technique to heal Aizawa? Damn, I didn't think you could still use that to heal." He paused before pulling the phone slightly away from his ear. "Alright, alright I'm sorry I doubted you. I just didn't think you'd need to use it."

Her headache finally got the best of her and made her groan. Takahashi looked up from his phone before noticing Nemuri leaning against the doorframe. "Anyways Chiyo, I'll talk to you later. I'll meet you at the hospital later today."

Takahashi hung up and smiled at Nemuri. "Good morning."

"Look I just wanted to tell you something." Nemuri needed to nip this in the bud. Takahashi seemed like a big boy so he wouldn't mind the reaction. "I'm sure last night was fun, but-"

"You mean dragging your unconscious body after you knocked out several guys at the bar. I would say that's funny now, but I had to take you away before the bartender pressed charges." Takahashi explained.

"Eh?" She blankly responded.

The old man let out an exasperated sigh. "Then I had to take you here and tucking you in was a bit of struggle. You seem to be a jittery sleeper. Honestly woman."

"W-Wait so we didn't...you know." She sputtered out. He raised an eyebrow in confusion before she gestured at the two of them when the idea got through.

"Oh no." She gave a sigh of relief. "You did offer though."

She spat out at the revelation, but even more when Takahashi seemed so nonchalant about. "You were drunk so your consent meant nothing."

"Well good. I wouldn't want things awkward because of that." She said before a twist of pain flashed through her head. Her hangover was still there.

Takahashi saw Nemuri grimace when he sighed. "I guess your hangover is a lot worse than I initially thought. Come here."

She reluctantly scooched forward when he put his hand on her head. Suddenly a refreshing feeling poured over her. Her headache was gone and all she was left feeling was warmth. The hero looked up to see Takahashi's eyes matching hers. Bright blue. They were deep, inviting, and shined with some sort of ethereal power...

"Hey!" She pulled back when she stared a second too long. Nemuri quickly composed herself. "What's happening today? With you."

"Me?" She nodded. "Oh well I have a student session I need to attend in an hour and then I'm heading over to the hospital later to help Recovery Girl treat Thirteen and Aizawa. Don't worry those two are out of the danger zone, but we need to ensure there won't be any lasting effects."

The R-Rated hero nodded at his plans before looking at her phone. "Well apparently I need to head over to the school. The other teachers and the principal are going to look over the recovered footage from the USJ attack to find out how we can take better measures against these villains."

"Sounds reasonable. Here." He went into the kitchen and opened his fridge. "We'll eat before leaving."

Nemuri liked that idea until she realized something. Takahashi wasn't wearing a shirt and now that her hangover is gone she got a full view of his back. Well sculpted and not overly muscular. Despite being around heroes and fit bodies for most of her life, Nemuri found red brushing on her cheeks when he turned around.

"Do you...have an preferences?" He asked as he turned around. Her eyes sparkled with a hint of desire as she saw his front. It was not disappointing in the least. "Nemuri."

"Huh? Oh just some eggs and toast. Over medium if you can."

He nodded and turned around. "Good grief woman pay attention."

"Oh I am." She almost purred. Takahashi heard that but didn't think too much on it as he turned the stove on.

The two eventual left the place with Midnight feeling full and refreshed. On the opposite end, Takahashi was getting his notes ready. Todoroki's answers were on one page and filled with inconclusive notes.

And with that there was also the problem with Thirteen and Aizawa. Their injuries were far more severe than either him or Recovery Girl could've predicted. It would take a joint union of their skills to pull through. He softly smiled at the nostalgic feeling from that sentence. It almost seemed like old times before U.A, All Might and his shared destiny with his successor, or the Midoriyas.

' _Still life is now just as interesting as back then.'_ Takahashi thought to himself while driving over to Midoriya's apartment. Arriving at the place, the old man got a text from Inko that informed him that she would be out grocery shopping and Izuku was still asleep from his night out.

"Well that makes this easier." Takahashi said to himself before noticing a limo outside. He got out of his car and approached it. Tapping on the window, the person behind rolled it down to see who it was. "Are you with Yaoyorozu?"

"Yes! He's with me Takahashi!" He turned and saw Momo standing in the best formal casual wear he's seen. She turned to the driver. "You may go now. It should be some time before the session ends."

The driver eyed Takahashi before nodding. The limo left as Momo turned to Takahashi. "I'm ready."

"Good otherwise I thought you'd be here to look your best in front of Izuku." He quipped just to see her blush, confirming his little theory of a crush. "Still we should be a bit quiet today. Izuku's exhausted and needs his sleep."

"Oh. Is he still recovering?"

"No. Actually he's tired from having a fun night out dancing with one of his friends. Mina Ashido?" He teased. That name sent a wave of mostly confusion and a tiny bit of jealousy. "Relax I'm sure she's not going to take your little Izuku."

"Wh-What?! Can we just get on with this!" Momo exclaimed, rather wishing to relive the events of the attack then the teasing. Priorities. The two entered the apartment with Takahashi pressing against Izuku's door. A blue symbol shined on his door and guaranteed no sound would come through.

Momo sat down with Takahashi, settling themselves. "Thank you for coming over. I know this is bit much, but any information you can tell me what you witnessed at the USJ regarding what happened to Izuku would be helpful."

She nodded. "Well when it started, Izuku was wounded. Badly wounded. That monster was torturing him and I felt…"

He put a hand on her shoulder when she took in a shaky breath. "Anyways it threw Izuku into the water and he was gone for about a minute. After that everything felt off. The pressure of the area increased and it was hot. The lake was steaming before it exploded. And from the center of it, Izuku stood. His eyes...I didn't get a good look until after he started fighting, but they lacked his pupils and the green in his eyes was gone."

"Todoroki said the same thing."

"He also had a green circle on his chest." Takahashi's eyes widened slightly as he heard that. She circled the area on her own chest as she described it. "It was almost like his heart, but the circle was at the center of his chest."

Takahashi wrote down that detail and looked even more serious. "Is that so?"

She nodded. "He was also very...brutal. Izuku pulled out its brain and when he made contact with the Nomu, his hand just broke. Yet a few seconds later I could see everything fix itself."

 _Highly enhanced speed, strength, and stamina. Ethereal aura. Fast healing factor...possible regeneration? Notable features include pupiless eyes with a different shade of green and a green circle displayed at the center of the chest._

He wrote those down and looked at her for anymore. She noticed and continued. "The fight went on and when Nomu found itself cornered. It started throwing chunks of debris and one of them happened to fall near me. This entire time Izuku showed little care for collateral or even us. Yet when something was close to crushing me, he jumped in front of me. That's when he started to calm down before taking one last punch and passing out."

"That's when we arrived."

"...yes." She answered.

Takahashi looked intrigued by that bit. So far, a primal desire to fight was shown throughout, but when it came to Momo's safety Izuku saved her.

"Good grief. This is quite the mess." Takahashi chuckled. "This is a great help Momo. Thank for everything, but I should ask this while you're here. How're you? Sleep well? Disturbing dreams?"

She blinked at his concern when he leaned in. "Oh I've been...not okay. I've barely been able to sleep since the attack and I had nightmare before."

Takahashi nodded. "It's not uncommon for first time combatants to relive the horrors of their first battle. I recommend being around others. I'm sure your classmates feel the same pressure and stress. Also a hobby and exercise to relieve the stress. Perhaps meditation."

"Really?"

"I've dealt with people that come from highly stressful situations. The amount of damage untreated can destroy anything you mean to have in the long run. And regardless of your occupation, you and everyone else are still children. You shouldn't deal with these problems alone."

Momo nodded and looked at the ground. Takahashi knew this was a good place to stop.

"That should conclude our business here." Takahashi said. He got up to leave. "You're free to stay here till Inko comes back or Izuku wakes up. And we have several ingredients for tea if that catches your fancy. Help yourself."

"Wait, you're okay leaving me here?"

"Of course. You haven't given me a reason to distrust you. Unless you do." He shot her a small glare and she gulped nervously, quickly shaking her head no. The glare disappeared and replaced with a smile. "Then enjoy your stay and I'm free to talk to before or after class."

He closed the door behind him and sensed Momo standing in the living room. Takahashi texted Inko of who was currently in the apartment before leaving. "Nothing should happen. But better to be cautious than anything else."

The rich girl sat quietly in the living room. Her body was a little shaky as her red rose through her cheeks. Inko wasn't there and Midoriya was in his room. It was just two people. Her. Izuku. Empty place.

Shaking her head of any depraved thoughts, Momo began to freak out. ' _Calm down Yaoyorozu! This...this is nothing. It may seem dire, but this is just Izuku's apartment. You've been here before. I should make some tea! Tea is always a good thing to wake up to!"_

She got up and went to the kitchen. Opening the cabinet door, Momo tried to look for anything that was good. But she was only met with the generic store bought tea bags. ' _Black tea? Earl tea? Sleepy time? Chai? Which one does Izuku like? If I chose the wrong one…"_

In her mind, a little chibi Izuku would wake up and sip the tea she made. It looked confused before spitting it out and flames of anger surrounding him as he glared at her.

' _NO! That wouldn't happen. He would just quietly accept it not to hurt my feelings while slowly suffering, drinking the wrong flavor.'_ She slammed her head on the counter. ' _That's even worse. Maybe I could…"_

Her eyes looked across and found his name plate next to a door to indicate his bedroom. "Ask him?"

The creation hero debated the topic before she slapped herself and got up. Her mind was going a million miles per minute as she went to the door and gripped the knob. "Now or never."

Momo quietly opened the door to Midoriya's room. She was once again greeted with the sight of all his All Might merchandise. It never failed to put a smile on her face the level of admiration he held for the Number One hero. Still she had a different goal in mind.

Slowly tip toeing her way to the boy's bed, she felt some level of shame come from just watching him sleep. Yet something within her compelled such an action. ' _Ok, ok. This is fine. I'll just nudge him awake, give my greetings, and ask which tea he likes. A simple three step procedure. Like asking a child so I shouldn't-'_

Izuku grumbled as he turned over and unconsciously moved the blanket off him. Exposing his ripped torso in front of the girl. Steam erupted from her ears as she bore witness to the rock hard pectoral muscles before her. Her eyes scanned each indention or line of hard muscle as she traced it down to his abs before the blanket covered the rest.

Momo felt something warm touch her lips as she quickly wiped it up. It was blood. She had a bloody nose!

' _AAAAAHH! What the hell? How did-? Was I punched because I know I would never get a nose bleed like a damn pervert!'_ In the distance Mineta felt as though someone was calling for him. With Momo after cleaning up, she grabbed Izuku's blanket to cover him up. What she didn't expect was Izuku to react to her attempts. He leaned up and grabbed her.

It all happened so fast that she didn't know what was happening until she felt her cheek against his skin. Her face matched the red tone of her costume when she felt herself back in the same compromising grasp from the USJ. "Izuku I swear it's not what it-"

She stopped when she looked up to see Izuku still sleeping. His grasp on her was firm, but not tight and Momo was certain that he wasn't awake. Her ponytail was in front of his face, but he didn't seem bothered by it.

"Soft." He mumbled as he scooched closer. Momo swallowed nervously as she felt Izuku nuzzle her. It was different this time. No fight hasn't happened yet and after her nosebleed, Momo got a hold of herself.

A few minutes passed and she felt herself become docile to the cuddles. "You...don't mind if I got comfortable."

He didn't respond and she took that as a sign. Undoing her ponytail, the ebony waterfall that was her hair draped her shoulders. The girl shifted over in his arms and pulled herself closer to face him. Despite everything he seemed to sleep like a baby.

"Izuku." She whispered.

"Momo." He replied. The girl froze before realizing it was just a response from his sleep. ".,.protect you, everyone."

"Hm?"

"I...gonna protect you." His face scrunched up as his breathing increased. "I...will."

Now the peaceful expression on his face was replaced with pain. Momo didn't see it coming when he gripped her tighter. As he squeezed his eyes shut, tears were threatening to escape. She quickly brought her hand up and caressed his cheek. He seemed to calm down at the touch and leaned into it.

"Don't worry." She said. Making sure he was calm, Momo pressed her ear against his chest.

Ba-bump. Ba-bump. His heart beat was steady as he loosened his grip. Now hugging her, Izuku finally seem to have calmed down. Momo went back to feeling comfy as she listened to his heartbeat. The pattern was so hypnotic that she found herself fast asleep on top of Izuku while holding his hand.

The two rested easily until the door opened. "Izuku are you still asleep? Yaoyorozu was here earlier but I guess she-AAHH!"

Izuku and Momo's eyes snapped open at the scream. Inko was at the doorway when she saw Momo pop up. From right on top of her son. Her eyes scanned the undone ponytail, the shirt Izuku dropped on the floor, their flushed faces and their clenched hands.

"MOM? MOMO!" Izuku yelled as Inko slammed the door while spouting out apologises. He stood up too fast and his head bumped into her breasts. Momo screamed as Izuku turned tomato red.

"I'm sorry sweetie!" She never expected to catch her son in such an intimate position with his friend. "I didn't think he was ready. Wait, did they have protection!"

Momo's head snapped from the door to Izuku as she straddled him. "I-I-I-Izuku! It-It's not what it looks like!"

"Why are you-!"

The door busted open as Inko rushed towards them. "Izuku, tell me you two were at least safe!"

"Safe?" The genuine question came off wrong as Inko almost squealed in horror.

"No! Izuku, I expected grandchildren, but not so soon! You can't be a freshman father!" Inko sobbed. "What're we gonna do! I should've come home faster from the grocery store when Takahashi texted me!"

"WHAT?!" Momo and Izuku screamed.

The entire affair took over an hour to explain. Momo had to explain her session with Takahashi and her checking up on Izuku. The three sat in the living room with Izuku and Momo far from each other. They couldn't look each other in the eye.

Inko examined the two as she sighed hard. "I am so sorry for misinterpreting that entire...scene. I see you were just worried about Izuku. Will you forgive me?"

"Forgive you? There's nothing you should apologize for. I-" Momo started.

"Grabbed you and pulled you in." He quickly answered as he looked away. "Some of the blame should be on me."

Inko shook her head. "No, I'm sorry Izuku, but this girl clearly walked into your room and started this. You will not take any of the blame. Momo."

"Y-Yes ma'am?" She was ready for any punishment. This was her fault after all.

"Come help me make lunch. That is your toll." Inko got up and led Momo away. The two high schoolers were totally caught off guard by the gesture. Momo robotically got up and followed the mother away as Izuku sighed hard while covering his face with his hands.

 _At the Hospital_

Aizawa was wrapped in bandages with the exception of his face. Recovery Girl was sitting next to Thirteen who was also unconscious. Takahashi stood next to the two and held his hands up.

"Chiyo how much did you use your quirk?"

"Enough to a point where if I did one more kiss it would worsen their health. I did the technique you taught me when I was younger, but it seems I've gotten rusty." She looked at her hand while Takahashi nodded.

The old man gestured the medic to move next to him. She pushed the chair over and watched his hands. "I always forget how limited your potential for chakra was. It probably explains why you've used your quirk more times than it. However that doesn't excuse this terrible job."

Recovery Girl playfully growled as Takahashi gave a cheeky grin. He held his hands over Aizawa and Thirteen and focused. His hands began to glow a soft blue hue as its power poured into the two heroes. Slowly their injuries began to heal while their energy was being replenished. Chiyo glanced over at Thirteen and saw the remaining lacerations close with a small hiss. Aizawa's cut on his cheek sealed, but left a scar underneath his eye.

"Good grief, the villains wasted no time in destroying these two. Honestly I could see these two being bedridden for another two weeks if it wasn't for us."

Recovery Girl nodded as Takahashi finished up on Aizawa. She kissed Aizawa on the cheek and watched the process of healing take over. "There were several pieces of bone scattered throughout his arm and torso. The surgery is what really made things problematic."

"Still these types of things can be healed and there's no doubt in my mind that they'll make a full recovery." Takahashi noted. "Hey...isn't the staff reviewing the footage today?"

"Yes. Nezu wanted the other teachers around to examine it for any potential security upgrades. All Might and the others should be watching it now." Recovery Girl stated. Takahashi nodded and shot a text to All Might. He wasn't there to watch, but he also realized the staff may soon be exposed to his true abilities. He needed to be sure.

Recovery Girl hopped her stool. She glanced at him and saw the trouble hidden behind his eyes. "You've been quite active these past few days. How's Midoriya? What's happened to him?"

Takahashi just looked away for a second. "Physically he's fine. Mentally the same. Yet...every since hearing Momo and Todoroki speak about what happened at the USJ, I can't help but have this gnawing unease in my heart."

"Similar to back then?" His expression turned melancholy as the shadows of his hair covered his eyes.

"Sure, but not in the same way. It's hard to explain. Some part of me feel proud that he survived and fought tooth and nail, but another part is cautious. There are very few things in this life Quirks or not that can revive someone from the death. If something like this happens again and it doesn't turn out to be good…"

Takahashi glanced at his wallpaper to see Inko, Izuku, and him smiling happily in the photo. "If whatever happens to Izuku happens again and proves to be a danger I'll have to resort to more lethal measures."

That's the pain Chiyo saw in his eyes. The idea of possibly killing an out of control Izuku. He stared off into space after the mere mention of that idea. Recovery Girl patted him on the back and gave a comforting side hug.

 _At the U.A Staff Room_

"So now that we've all gathered here. It's best we get a move on." Nezu said.

Midnight and All Might along with the others had notes ready when the screen showed their latest footage taken from the USJ.

The U.A staff pressed play on the latest recordings. Principal Nezu, Midnight, and the others watched the attack play out. Despite his normally cheerful nature, Nezu was absolutely glowering at the screen while watching the villains attack the students and teachers.

"The police have told us that several villains deactivated our sensors and communicators. However that warp villain was their main enter and getaway." Vlad said. Nezu tapped his tail against the seat as they continued to watch.

All Might clenched his fists when he saw how Kurogiri made short work of Thirteen and how the Nomu destroyed Aizawa. "At least the students seemed more than capable of handling the lower tier villains."

Cementoss nodded. "Aizawa did not expel any of these students on the first day. His judgement hasn't failed us before."

The footage focuses on the head honchos of the villain attack when Midoriya entered the picture. All Might and the others watched as Tsu, Mineta, and Izuku jumped in to save Aizawa. The Number One Hero felt absolute joy at seeing Midoriya using his quirk to the best of his abilities. Yet that's when things took a turn for the worse.

Midnight gritted her teeth when Kurogiri showed up. "I have a feeling if it wasn't for that guy, the leader would be under police custody."

"Indeed." Then the best and worst parts were shown. Midoriya's beatdown of Shigaraki and the Nomu's return. They watched as Midoriya was pummeled by the creature. All Might could feel his nails pierce his skin as he watched the torture continue. When the Nomu broke Midoriya's back and tossed him to the lake he seemed to reach his limit.

He glanced at his lap and relayed what he witnessed on a text to Takahashi. Nezu was curious about the situation as a blow that strong would be a fatal blow yet All Might and Takahashi were able to save Midoriya. The last thing they saw before the footage cut off was the lake glowing and blowing up a second later.

That's when the footage stopped due to the camera being destroyed. Everyone was confused, but All Might knew it was whatever Midoriya attained. Nezu entered the next disc of footage.

The screen took a moment before displaying the hud for the secondary cameras. The USJ has two sets in the event something should happen. As the footage came back to show the arrival of Takahashi and All Might. The blonde man coughed out blood as he knew what would be coming up next.

"Well here we go. I guess we get to see All Might take all the action." Snipe commented. The other teachers murmured in agreement as the footage continued. That's when the saw the Nomu attack Takahashi and the man fighting it off.

"What the-?" Present Mic sputtered. "Is that...Takahashi? The nurse?!"

Midnight was just watching the screen with intrigue as she watched how fast and precise he was in dealing with his opponent. Along with having the piercing blue eyes instead of his normal brown ones and it was just as captivating as it was this morning. All Might quickly informed Takahashi about what they're watching while the principal looked on with intrigue.

 _T: If Nezu asks about the explosion before we come in. Tell him I'm looking into it._

"Interesting. I believe this is what Takahashi meant to show me later this year. I can see why his quirk registration was an odd one."

"Wait a minute. You knew Takahashi had these extra abilities? Eraserhead was telling us all about this guy's weird vibe and you knew?" Present Mic said.

"Of course. There is very little in this school the staff and students can hide from me. If not for him telling me then simple deduction would've been enough. Luckily he was understanding enough to let me in on it." They watched as Takahashi fired a big ball and eradicated half of the Nomu.

"My goodness what power." Cementoss noted. "I dare say it's almost like yours All Might."

"Yeah. I've noticed."

They continued examining it when it came to All Might and Takahashi working together. And when All Might sent Nomu flying that's when Nezu cut off the footage. "My, my. This has been quite enlightening. I say we end today's session and return to business soon. The Sports Festival is happening next week!"

Some of the teacher's blinked. "The Sports Festival? Are you sure? We can have it, but maybe it's best we delay it by another week or so."

"No we shall have it next week. Think of it as a power play to show the world that even a villain attack won't shake us up. All Might inform Takahashi about our current course of action."

"Yes sir." All Might said when he texted the news.

Said man was currently driving home with a few pics of Inko showing Momo some of her famous recipes. Apparently they all had a lovely lunch together after a rather funny misunderstanding. He chuckled to himself when he received news from All Might.

"The Sports Festival is still happening? Hm bold move Nezu." Takahashi said to himself while reading All Might's message. He parked his car in the garage.

As the sun set over the horizon, Takahashi entered his home. Entering his office, he pressed a button to where a secret door opened. The air from the inside was flushed out by the fresh ones as Takahashi walked down its steps. The old man saw the columns that carried numerous scrolls. Each one containing great and powerful secrets.

"If what Momo and Todoroki said to me is true then it should be around...here." He found the scroll he was looking for. Rolling it out, he read the old symbols on it. His eyes grew narrower and narrower until they suddenly widened. "My God. That can't be right. This is impossible. Even with his hard work and potential, Izuku should not have this power!"

Takahashi accidentally squeezed too tightly and crumpled the scroll between his fingers. Then he calmed down and put it down on the desk. "Think about this rationally Takahashi. Izuku showed some level of this potential when he got up from Bakugou's attack, but that could be given to his dedication. So the only instance of this power manifesting would be during the USJ."

He pondered on that before smoothing out the scroll and rolling it up. "It's too soon to call on it. Even if he did achieve it, it would be impossible for someone like him to attain it a second time. For now I'll just keep it to myself."

Takahashi glanced at the language one last time before putting it away. "Good grief. This is going to take an interesting turn if I'm wrong."

 _ **Omake**_

Both Midoriya and Yaoyorozu laid in their respective beds. Lunch went off without a hitch and despite the awkward tension, it was still good to see each other after the USJ. Momo laid on her bed before turning red. Her mind traced back to when she was exposed to Izuku's torso.

"I can't believe I got that from looking!"

Midoriya laid on his bed with similar thoughts only he remembered when Momo was on top of him. He quickly twisted and turned trying to get her flowing hair, delicate features, and scent out of his mind.

He flipped over to a pillow and held it close to scream only he noticed something peculiar about this pillow. It smelled...different, nice. There was a fragrance. It must've been Momo's perfume!

The two quickly looked up on the ceiling in utter despair as they knew it would be another sleepless night although for different reasons.

"Oh no." They both said.


	17. Chapter 17

Mineta sat down on the concrete steps of U.A. He left early to get everything all ready for what he wants to say. His mind has been replaying that speech Midoriya gave him during the USJ.

" _Run away to safety while Tsu and I go save Aizawa and become the quivering coward or do some quick fucking soul searching, find any remaining bit of your shattered testicles, and help save our teacher!_ "

Coward. That's the only real word he could remember holding the most anger in Izuku's voice. It was the only thing that he was aware of while staying in his room. And he did more that soul searching after the whole attack especially after he tried to visit Midoriya when he was out of commission. He took out a piece of paper with a few paragraphs.

"I can do this."

Today was the first day back after the USJ. And Izuku was taking the train as Takahashi was called in early to take care of Aizawa and Thirteen again. The boy just kept himself busy with seeing the latest updates from the news until he got to his stop.

Stepping back in felt a little weird since the attack, but if such things were going to happen to him daily then he should make it routine. What surprised him was Mineta. The purple haired teen was sitting on the steps of the school.

Midoriya got his attention. "Good morning Mineta."

The boy looked up from the floor. "Morning Midoriya. Hey can we talk?"

"Huh? Sure." There was still sometime after class so a fast talk wouldn't be too bad. Besides the others haven't arrived yet. "What's up?"

"Look. I just wanted to say...thanks." Midoriya raised an eyebrow. "Giving me that talk during the villain attack. I was...being cowardly."

' _Oh shit that's right. I had to slap him to get his attention before the whole fight with Nomu.'_ Midoriya thought. "Actually I should apolo-"

"No, no you shouldn't." Mineta looked at the ground again. "I joined the hero course cause I wanted to look cool. For the ladies y'know. But that entire attack just slapped me in face of what actually goes on."

Midoriya's curiosity was piqued at that admission and decided not to interrupt.

"And to see you, a plain faced guy…" The green haired boy felt his eye twitch at that part. "Take charge. I dunno you just looked really cool."

"Well I think what's really cool is having a quirk that made the Nomu still. That's pretty cool." Midoriya could see Mineta was really digging at himself with this little confession. The last thing he'd want is to make a classmate feel bad.

"That's not the point. No, I just wanted to say…!" Mineta stopped to pick out his words. "I just wanted to say that I think I'm looking at this hero business the wrong way. Being cool doesn't really matter to villains who just want to kill you. If things were different I would've died screaming like a little bitch! I've been looking at this wrong and I wanted to thank you for showing me that!"

Izuku could feel the wind blow dramatically at that admission. Mineta really seemed to be shaking as if he practiced the speech over and over and still feels his nerves skyrocketing. "Being cool should be the bonus of being a great hero not the reason. So that's why I want you to be the first person to know this! I want to become a hero not just to become cool, but to longer be seen as a coward by even good people like you!"

"Mineta." The purple haired teen was breathing hard at finally admitting that last part. Midoriya had no other idea on what to do that pat him on the shoulder. "That's a good vow to go with. I'm impressed."

"Y-Yeah." Mineta said before he tried lifting his smile to be more confident. "Besides if I'm brave I get some good charisma and charisma is what draws in the girls."

Izuku felt the entire dramatic mood drop to something more lighthearted at the mention of that. "That's...not inaccurate. Still I'm glad you worked things out."

He didn't notice Mineta holding out a present. It looked like a book with how the wrapping covered it. "Huh? You didn't need to give me a present? Wait is this a confession, cause I thought you were-"

"What?! It's not a confession! This, my good man, is something every teenage boy needs. A classic to hold and cherish for days on end. Even if you don't use it properly you can get something out of it. Just take it."

"Alright if you say so." He gripped to corner to rip off the corner when Mineta freaked out.

"No don't do that here!" Midoriya looked surprised before Mineta sighed. "Just open it when you get home. And don't tell anyone! Promise me!"

"Mineta, you're scaring me." Midoriya confessed. Mineta gave a such desperate glare that Midoriya relented. "Fine whatever. Let's get to class."

The two went to class and everyone else soon followed. Tsu and some of the others went to Midoriya to make sure he was okay. All the while Todoroki and Bakugou were giving the green haired boy some weird looks.

Ochako seemed the most worried about him, but he assured he was fine while he turned to Momo. Despite the nice lunch they had after the incident, she quickly turned away. He sighed and focused as everyone else was getting for class to start.

Morning classes went by quite fast and everyone was getting for today's hero lesson. So that brought up the question on everyone's mind.

"So who do you think today's substitute's going to be, Tsu?" Mina asked.

"No idea. It might be one of the staff members since Mr. Aizawa's still hospitalized. Possibly All Might since he's another hero course teacher." The door slid open and in came...Takahashi. Izuku's eyes would've widened but he sensed who was behind the door. Todoroki and Bakugou looked most suspicious of the teacher while those like Kirishima were excited. He did show how awesome he really was when fighting the villains.

"Mr. Takahashi!" Some of them yelled.

The old man waved at them before moving to the front of the class. "Good day class. I'm Takahashi as all of you are aware and I'll be today's substitute. Mr. Aizawa planned to come here…"

' _He planned to come here? What a pro!'_ The class thought as Takahashi put down some of the papers.

"However Recovery girl has grounded him for another few days. So for this week I'll be covering for him." Takahashi said. "But while he rests that doesn't mean any of you get to. Your fight has just begun."

Everyone felt on edge at his tone. It was sharp and gave an impression of foreboding. ' _More villains?!'_

"The Sports Festival." Takahashi revealed. The class held a sigh of relief. "Before any of you ask if this is a wise decision you can bring it up with the principal. Despite the scale of the villain attack U.A will not allow some punks have us react like scared children who are afraid to take another hit. In a form of solidarity and confirmation of our strength we'll hold the Sports Festival as usual."

The classroom burst into conversation with one another as Midoriya could sense some uneasiness from Mineta. "Hey, you feeling ok?"

"Huh? Not really." The idea of villains was still terrifying, but he saw how calm and collected Midoriya was. "But I'm sure I can get over it."

"That's the spirit." Midoriya gave thumbs up.

Takahashi cleared his throat to get everyone's attention again. "As such a thing happens you all have one week to train before said event happens. Use it wisely and productively. Otherwise we'll see your humiliating fail take place on national television."

The entire class sweatdropped at the blunt way he described it when he turned to the door. "Besides possibly failing, you'll have also have the chance to show Japan's current heroes what the next generation has to offer. Meaning internships after said festival. This is a very important part of your pathway to becoming a hero or at least that's what it says on this script."

' _He's reading a script?'_ They all thought when Takahashi pulled out a packet of papers. ' _Didn't he make fun of All Might for that?'_

"Also Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugou." The two students perked at the call of their names. "Seeing as you two got the highest score on the Entrance Exam, it's tradition that you speak before the events. Normally it would be one student, but Nezu has made it clear he's fine with two speeches this year. If you have any questions bring it up to either All Might or me. Possibly Aizawa later down the week. Class dismissed."

He left and everyone went back to their conversations. Midoriya looked comprehensive about the whole thing. "No doubt in my mind we'll see scouts for upcoming events."

"Yeah Mr. Takahashi also said we'll have internships afterwards. Though that depends if do well enough." Jirou finished up. Midoriya nodded in agreement as everyone heard the bell for class ending. The class then got ready to leave, but Midoriya's senses went off. A massive amount of energy was in front of the door.

Bakugou got up to leave. "Kaachan wait! Don't open the door."

"Don't you tell me what to do Deku!" He yelled as he swung open the door. The entire class was met with other students. They were talking amongst themselves until they saw Bakugou.

"HEY 1-A!" Midoriya and the others looked to see a silver haired teen with sharp teeth. "YOU GUYS DON'T LOOK SO TOUGH!"

' _What the is this guy on?'_ Midoriya and the others thought.

"I HEARD YOU TOOK ON SOME VILLAINS AND NOW EVERYONE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE!" The crowd seemed to grow even more restless with that sentence. Class 1-A blinked at his claim when Bakugou growled.

"Damn nobodies must've heard about us surviving the USJ and with the Sports Festival want to scope out the competition." That made sense to Midoriya and the others. As the entire student body stood in front of the door, Bakugou was getting pissed off. "Move it you damn extras!"

"Kaachan! You can't just call them extras!" Midoriya yelled as he moved up to the front. A bored sigh caught his attention as a teen with violet hair stood before him. His baggy eyes bore into him.

"Are all you hero class students always this loud?"

"Heh, sometimes. We're very enthusiastic." Midoriya remarked with a smile. Bakugou screamed at that, but Izuku ignored him. "I take it you're here to scope out the competition as well."

The teen sneered. "No, I'm here with a different reason. With news of the Sports Festival continuing with the schedule there's now a chance, an opportunity for students like us in General Ed. If we prove ourselves in the Sports Festival, the U.A staff will take it upon themselves to transfer said worthy students to the hero course and at the same time-"

"Demote hero students to General Ed." Izuku finished. Everyone in Class 1-A froze at that. "You just came here to give exposition?"

"No. I came here to warn you with a declaration of war." He glared at Izuku and the teen noted his level of determination. "So watch your backs."

Izuku didn't say anything as the teen turned his back. "And pray tell who are you, possible hero?"

"...Hitoshi Shinso." He replied.

Izuku stuck his hands in his pockets and got into a relaxed pose. "Well I'm looking forward to seeing what you got to get here."

"You'll never see it coming." He responded before disappearing into the crowd. "By the way I took offense to that pissants comment a few days ago so I'm definitely making an effort gunning for you."

Izuku tried not to look too bothered by him bringing that up, but then he began thinking about the other students that might've taken that comment out of context. Suddenly his call for civility in the lunchroom back now seems awful. Meanwhile Tetsutetsu and Kirishima saw that and shedded manly tears at such an awesome exchange. Izuku shook his head as the rest of the student body left.

Bakugou seemed to be absolutely stunned by what Izuku just did. Ignoring his revival from his apparent training, this Deku was completely different from who he was before in middle school. He could see the confidence behind his words even when he was being told his position was threatened. Scoffing at it, he pushed Deku aside to leave.

"Gimme a break." Midoriya said as he watched the blonde leave.

Everyone dispersed around lunch time and Izuku was walking with Iida and Ochako. Momo still seemed a little embarrassed about the whole situation from yesterday so he decided to leave her alone until she can actually look at him. He felt a tint of red brush his cheeks as he thought of it, but continued on with his day. That included taking part in their current conversation.

"Uraraka I've been meaning to ask. You know my reason for heroism and Midoriya is self explanatory. What's your reason."

"Weeell." She started. "It's kind of selfish. I grew up in not the best financial situation. My parents work in construction. Before I realized our situation I liked rescue heroes like Thirteen! I wanted to be like them. That all changed when I found out how much we actually make."

Her mind flashed back to when she was a child begging her parents to help. Izuku tapped his chin on the situation.

"Yeah I could see you working construction. With your quirk there would be less need to use conventional equipment and save your parents money on other forms of labor."

"Exactly Deku! But they also supported my inital dream of becoming a hero. They wanted me to do something that I loved and with becoming a hero I can hit two birds with one stone!" She flashed a bright bashful smile as Midoriya looked at her.

He had a sad smile on his face when he remembered what his mom said before when they found out his...disability. Even after Takahashi entered the picture, they never outright stated their position on his dream. With Takahashi, the dangers of passing on these powers could spell disaster for him, an understandable reason. With his mom...it's one of the few things he held against her and even then it's something he'll never bring up as she's a parent. And a parent with a quirkless child can't stand what may happen if they aim to be a hero.

"-eku? Deku?" Ochako asked as Iida snapped his fingers. He came back to them and saw them concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Huh, yeah. I'm fine just thinking." He said. The two looked worried and were about to ask more when a loud laugh caught them off guard.

"YOUNG MIDORIYA! I FOUND YOU!" All Might appeared around the corner.

"All Might? What's going on?"

The Number One Hero flashed a bright smile before holding up a small bento box. "Lunch? Care to join?"

Ochako couldn't contain herself at seeing such a cute pose from the muscled man. ' _He's like a maiden!'_

"Uh…" He turned to his friends and they signalled that it was okay. "Sure. I'll come along."

They two left as Ochako watched on. "Those two seem really close."

"Well of course. Midoriya seems to have a powerful quirk similar to his and I heard during the USJ he personally took on that monster that the villains seemed to value." At the mention of the Ochako remembered when Deku landed near the entrance during the attack. That weird glow around him. No one really talked about it and Midoriya didn't seem none the wiser. Still maybe All Might knew something about that and wanted to tell him.

In the teacher's lounge, Takahashi was with the other teachers when saw All Might and Izuku enter. "Excuse me I need to talk to All Might."

"Aw you're leaving! But I wanna hear the rest of the story." Present Mic whined.

"Sorry Mic. I'll fill in the details later." As he got up, he noticed Midnight. When they made eye contact, she winked at him. Quite seductively he might add. Confused by the gesture and just gave a friendly wave back. She seemed to accept it when he left. Cementoss just gave her a little side eye when she seemed a little too happy at it.

The old man went into another section of the teacher lounge and saw All Might giving Izuku some tea. But also looked questionably at his deflated form. "Good you're here."

"Hey Takahashi. You and All Might needed to talk to me?"

"Actually All Might wanted to talk. And per unspoken agreement anything that he wants to say to you, I have to be around if I can." Midoriya raised an eyebrow and looked at All Might. He gave a nod. "So what're we here for?"

"Well it's about the Sports Festival." All Might started. "Young Midoriya I'm sure you're aware of who's watching."

"Yeah. This event replaced the Olympics. Other hero schools, but more importantly agencies. This will be your first big step in becoming the new symbol of peace!" Takahashi gave him a look. "As you two already know my time as the Number One Hero is waning. Even with help there's only so much I can do."

Midoriya remembered something. "Wait I have noticed you've been more active recently. Even past your limit. You're not breaking it to save face are you?"

"No he's not." Takahashi chimed in. "I've been powering All Might up with a small amount of chakra to extend his time limit. At minimum it can be four hours. It depends on how he's doing so far. But he's right, even now his body is consuming a lot more energy to keep up with his strength."

"The remaining power of One for All is slowly leaving me Young Midoriya. Even with help the villains have noticed my weakening state." He remembered Shigaraki and the Nomu.

"Probably why they attacked the USJ. Anyways this festival is the day you make your debut. You must stand in front of the world and proclaim-!" He transformed into his muscle form. " _That You Are Here!_ "

Takahashi nodded before turning to Izuku and saw him shaking like a leaf. All Might returned to his base form as he saw that. "Young Midoriya."

"I-I'm fine. I just realized I have to give a speech in front of the entire world." The two adults just looked at him when Izuku began to fully panic. "Wait, what am I gonna do?! What am I gonna say?! I'll embarrass myself if I don't get it right!"

He continued to panic as Takahashi had a blank look on his face. He facepalmed a second later. ' _Good freakin' grief, boy.'_

As the day continued on until sunset, Midoriya was walking home alone. Today just dumped a lot of stuff on him. A declaration of war, the Sports Festival speech, the fact that he had a week before he went against the entire school, and his new technique he needed to perfect before said the week ends.

"Life can't give me a break can it." He sighed sadly. "No. Stop thinking like that. You need to get ready. Like All might said I need to stand in front of the world and say, _I am He-"_

He bumped into someone. "Hey watch it you brat!"

"Oh I'm sorry sir. My deepest apologies." He bowed respectfully at the well suited gentleman.

"It's fine. Just watch it. You never know who you'll run into." The monotone voice made it abundantly clear. Midoriya nodded and continued on his way.

The man in a business suit gave one last look at the student before continuing walking down the road. Several people saw some of his luxurious items he wore and shared a look. A good old fashion mugging was in order. The business man looked at his watch before tapping it.

"Hm. I hope my son has made it from school. These days thugs have been running a bit rampant." He muttered to himself. That's when he noticed a group of people following him. The man glanced around before making a sharp turn.

The group noticed and their leader sneered when he saw him enter an alleyway. "Well, well boys. It looks like we got our prey cornered."

"Man, I can't wait to sell some of those pretty items. They'll get me a quick buck." One of the said. They all walked into the alleyway and were surprised to see the man sitting on top of a box. He was casually loosening his tie when he noticed them.

"Good evening gentlemen. I suppose you're here for something." The leader looked a little unnerved by his laize attitude, but pressed forward.

"Yeah. The boys and I were hanging around and notice some scumbag walking around with some nice bling on. We'd like something like that so we all came to the decision of taking all this from you."

"This?" He pointed to his watch and wallet. The leader nodded and pointed a finger. At the tip of his finger a yellow needle began to sprout. He fired several needles to which the man dodged before catching the last one. The thugs were shocked to see it as his hand was glowing around the needle. "Oh dear that's quite threatening. I imagine this is supposed to paralyze the body. I can see the bio electricity is equivalent to that of a taser. Such an interesting quirk."

He aimed it at the group and flicked it back. They could barely reacted when it hit one of them between the eyes. The boy fell to the floor with a clean hole through the head. "NO UZAKI!"

He got up and patted his pants. The people behind their leader felt some sort of weird pressure come from the man as his eyes shined in the shadows of the alleyway. A dark pink hue. "You, my good man, seem to be the only one here with a worthwhile power. I could use someone like you unlike the dregs you surround yourself with."

"W-What?" The leader put his finger down as the business man took a step forward.

"Hey! Don't talk to us like we're trash! Especially after killing our friend!" One of his subordinates screamed out angrily. He grunted before a sharp horn popped out his forehead. He charged at the businessman with a wild look in his eye. Just before he could make contact, the business man sidestepped him and chopped at his neck.

Blood spurted out when the head was cleaved clean from the neck. The others screamed in horror and tried to run, but a pink barrier trapped them in while the leader pointed his finger. "Who the hell are you?!"

"Oh right. My apologies I forgot introductions. It's best to get this out the way. You can call me Vali Jugo, age 47. I am a widower father with a teenage son. I make a living working as humble office worker but have plans to move past that in the foreseen future. In the meantime I work a simple 9-5 job delivering and writing reports to retail managers. On my downtime I like to study heroes to help my son understand his place in this world and society. I'm not a drinker or a smoker as a healthy body is one of the best gifts I believe one can be ever gifted to someone. And I just so happen to have the perfect body to deal with such special gifts."

As he said that, the pink barrier spread onto the walls. The thugs began to panic when one of them was impaled from the ground. Through the anus and out his throat, he rose off the ground with lifeless eyes and a fountain of blood spewing out his mouth. They others screamed as Vali waved his hand and more pink spikes stabbed through their hearts, their brains, and their throats. Each vital organ was severed in front of the leader, who was on his knees.

"However I do suffer an issue where if I don't constantly use my power, I get increasingly brutal each time I display it after a certain period of time. This is the result of one week with no action." He announced. The bodies of the thugs began to disintegrate into dust. One of the few remaining of the crew looked at their leader pleading for his life. "Oh this one's a tough cookie."

He withdrew the spike and dropped the man on the ground. The leader tried to crawl over to his friend when Vali waved his finger in front of him. "Oh no, no, no, no, no. You stay there. I rather have business associates clean when I talk to them."

"Clean? What the hell do you mean cl-!" He was cut off when Vali stomped on the last's thugs head. His brains and bits of skull splattered all over the floor. The crimson river flowed in front of the former leader as he looked up in pure fear.

"Now." Vali's voice suddenly felt different. It was no longer indifferent. It was charming, sensual, alluring. "I have a job for you. Something I feel you can tackle on your own. Will you listen?"

The man looked around. The remaining bits of his men were turning to dust before his very eyes yet he couldn't help but smile widely at Vali. "Yes. Yes I will listen!"

"Good." Vali said as the last man he killed slowly turned to dust. "That's exactly what I needed to hear friend."


	18. Chapter 18

Day 1- Costume Improvements

Their class ended with very little hitch when Takahashi taught them. He seemed to have a reliable grasp on hero laws. As everyone packed up, Takahashi got Izuku's attention.

"Boy."

"Oh what is it, Takahashi?" The boy asked.

"Power Loader paged me earlier. It's about your costume." Izuku's attention was firmly on him now. "He says that U.A is allowed to make a few alterations to your costume if you so desire and considering how damaged it was, he thought maybe you'd be interested in adding anything of interest."

Izuku was surprised by that, but dug into his backpack for a sketchbook. It had all of his costume notes. "Well I'll make sure to head there when I get the chance."

"Good. He's at the Support Course homeroom across the school. I'll let him know you're on your way."

He nodded and ran out the classroom. Telling his friends, they were happy to be informed and let him go. Missing lunch was going to mean a bigger dinner, but Izuku needed to improve his costume. Both Bakugou's and the villain's attacks on him have left a clear implication that his armor needed to be better or at least soften some of the blows.

A few minutes of walking and soon Midoriya found himself in front of two large steel doors. He went to grab the handles when his instincts took over and made him jump back. The doors exploded and a high female voice was screaming. His body moved on his own as he sensed where she was and jumped to catch her.

The girl was surprised when Izuku did this and landed safely on the ground. "Whoa. Nice instincts."

"Hey are you-" She hopped out his arms and walked off. "What?"

"Hatsume! For God sakes I told you the dangers of combining those two elements together!" Power Loader waved his hand through the smoke to make sure she was ok. Hatsume herself was walking back to the lab with a bright smile on her face. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Nope! Although I was caught by some green kid at the door. I think he's still there!" She quickly said while trying to walk past her teacher. He grabbed her by the top of her head and turned her around. "Yeah there."

Izuku was still standing there with his arms out while looking utterly confused. "I-I...You needed to see me?"

"Yes. Come in." Power Loader gestured and Izuku followed. The man lead him down to the tables as Hatsume was back at her table working on something else. "So from what I remember these past few days have been quite hectic. You even managed to ruin your costume."

Midoriya looked a little embarrassed when he felt something fast stop just behind him. The wind blew into his ears as he turned to see two bright yellow eyes with crosshairs in them. "Ruined your costume? Mr. Power Loader tell me that this means he's for costume improvements!"

"I...guess I am."

"GREAT!" She reached out and grabbed his hand. "I'm working on my babies for something else important, but getting the chance to improve a hero student's costume will always be-"

"Enough!" Power Loader landed a solid chop on her head. She pouted at the action and gave an adorable pout. "I called you here Midoriya to see if you wanted to do costume improvements. Your suit took a little while to repair from all the damage and the only piece you had left was a gauntlet which was promptly destroyed during the USJ."

He led him over to another table and pulled out the case. Opening it, the welder put the costume on the table. It was like brand new. The cloth and armor were back in one piece with little sign of what befell it with Bakugou.

"Hm. Not bad. The cloth is obviously made of some decent leather and kevlar layers to provide a decent amount of protection. This cloth respirator has a decent look to it, but I doubt going against stronger poisons or chemicals could work. The armored plates on all four limbs seem sturdy enough, but that material looks too weak." Hatsume summarized.

Izuku looked completely astounded. This girl just analyzed his entire suit and knew the components to each part. And somehow he got the feeling this is what everyone else felt when he was describing heroes.

"That's pretty good observation. I mean wow."

Hatsume gave a cocky grin. "Of course! For my babies to be noticed by any large company I need to make sure I know every material and functionality of any suit I see and how it works with the users quirk."

Power Loader sighed. "I also asked you to be here so I can give Hatsume some experience upgrading suits. I initially planned for a third year costume, but yours was plain enough to where something may actually be improved upon."

In the distance both Inko and Takahashi felt deeply offended.

"So what do you think is the problem? And Hatsume pay attention to what he says. You'll need to know."

Hatsume saluted. "Of course! I need to which one of my babies needs to attached."

' _Somehow I feel like she's getting the wrong idea.'_ Midoriya thought as he lifted his arm for both of them to see. "I don't have any particular upgrades in mind, but I do want to upgrade the armor on my costume."

The bite mark from the villain seemed to flash in Hatsume's eyes. "Specifically to fire and sharp objects."

"Hm. We can do that. Recently there's been a work out with sharp objects by adding a thin yet durable gel padding that prevents penetration. As for fire we've developed several materials to withstand their burn. So if do our job right I doubt someone will ever get a good cut on with a knife or bomb." Power Loader explained. Izuku's eyes shined at the answer when it suddenly was ruined when he felt someone touching him.

Hatsume had a smile on her face as she was patting and squeezing his body. Almost groping him. "GAH! Wh-What are you doing?!"

"What does it look like? I'm making note of your measurements through touch. You'd think it's ridiculous, but even the slightest change in your muscular build could affect how your costume is fitted. Especially if we plan to put whatever material Power Loader wants." She squeezed his pectoral muscle. "Luckily you're quite muscly to begin with."

That sounded a lot more predatory than she might've realized. Izuku pushed himself away as he was shaking like a leaf now. ' _That was completely unnecessary. If she wasn't a Support Course student I would've labeled her a pervert.'_

"So we'll begin right away!" Hatsume gave thumbs up to him. "And with my skills I can both improve your costume and work on my babies for the Sports Festival."

"About that. You keep mentioning babies. What babies?" Hatsume seemed to gain a light in her eye as Izuku's curiosity has caught her attention.

Power Loader shook his head as he picked up the costume. "I'll work half of it and the other half of the job I'll observe. Ok Hatsume."

"Whatever." She cheerfully responded as she dragged Midoriya away. She plopped him right down in the chair and held up some gadgets. "These my curious green onlooker are my babies. Gadgets and gizmos that I want the whole world to see during the sports festival!"

Izuku looked at the gadgets before seeing one jetpack. "Hey this looks like the Buster Hero Air Jet!"

"Ah you must be a man of gadgets."

"More like heroes, but yeah I can recognize the work!" He felt his inner fanboy come out as he began to discuss what he knew about the hero.

"Not bad. Well since I'm working on your suit later on. I'm Mei Hatsume. Tell your friends and other heroes."

"Izuku Midoriya."

"Yeah pretty sure I won't remember, but thanks!" Mei said. Izuku just had a blank expression on his face when she flashed him a thumbs up. He dumbly gave one back.

Day 2- After School Activities

"Alright it's the end of the day. My classes and lessons went off without a hitch and since it's afterhours." He pulled out his flask. Taking a small sip, he sighed happily at the sweet liquor and the slight burn in his throat. "And what a better way to end it then with a drink. Even if i get a little drunk I can always filter it out of me by the next day."

He was about to leave when he noticed a stack of papers on the left of his desk. "Oh wait. I forgot to grade the quiz today."

Takahashi squinted at the papers before looking at the flask. "Well I'm sure I can balance things out. After all I balance my inner spiritual energies all the time! So what's booze and papers to me."

He grabbed his pen and began to work on it. He snuck a small sip every once and awhile. "Let's see. Midoriya, good. Bakugou, surprisingly good, Momo, obviously good. Good, good, good. All these are good I'm such a good teacher after all a student's result is one brought on by the teacher~"

The old man hiccupped as he felt his body was slowing down to the alcohol's effects. Was it wise? No. But these past few days with investigating Izuku, Midnight's antics making him be responsible that night, and teaching 1-A. And he was confident in holding his own special liquor.

"Okay Mina Ashido. Let's see. Ok. Good...not good, wrong. That's also wrong." His brow furrowed. "Wait, I thought I taught this one correctly. Maybe I didn't do it too good, but it's fine. It's fine."

He continued to grade her paper and with the alcohol running through him, he got a little bit more annoyed.

"...you've got to be kidding me." Takahashi growled. He stared down at his enemy before picking up his weapon and slashing it across. Another mark down for Ashido. "I don't get it how do you confuse the collateral damage laws with the purposeful environmental destruction regulations! Even I know this! And another thing why is Kaminari's paper even more wrong than hers! It's infuriating!"

All Might was watching from a distance as Midnight peeked in. "What's he doing?"

"Grading papers. And from the looks of it, it's from the quiz Aizawa gave them. He seemed pretty ok at the start, but I'm thinking he's reached the...not so smart kids of the class."

The witnessed Takahashi have a dark aura around him. "I taught this subject yesterday. I'm pretty sure I followed the guide and explained it perfectly. Are...Are these marks the sign that I'm not a good teacher? That can't be! I've had experience with the law and I know how this society works! Fucking hell!"

"He seems to hold the mentality that fault of the student falls squarely on the teachers. No bad students, only bad teachers." All Might filled in. Midnight nodded as she watched Takahashi struggle to maintain his sanity and pride.

He slammed his head down when he moved to the next paper. "Even Kirishima failed. Three students in a row that failed this quiz. I...I thought I was doing a good job. Have I failed as an educator? What if I'm teaching my main student wrong? I'm a damn fool. What am I doing wrong!"

Midnight giggled at the old man's struggle. It was quite a treat to see him so flustered.

"I also think he's drinking."

"Drinking?" She looked at the desk and saw Takahashi's flask on the desk. It shined in the sunlight as the old man continued to whine. Looking closer, he did look drunk and if she remembers correctly he has that flask that contains the only alcohol he can get drunk with. She said a little loud, "Nezu won't like that."

"That damn rat can kiss my ass!" The two teachers flinched as Takahashi slammed his fist on the table. "Honestly after realizing I'm a shitty teacher how else can things go wrong? EH?! What're you two looking at! YOU WANNA GO?"

"He's looking at us. Don't move. He might see us through movement." All Might whispered. Midnight stood completely still.

On camera, Nezu and Recovery Girl were watching the entire exchange. "Are you sure he's just a vocal drunk? I will let this slide if he doesn't attack the staff."

"Yes despite how violent it may seem Takahashi is not one for attacking like a drunk. He will however swear like one. It's good to see outside of fighting and investigations that he can still be quite silly."

The two continued to watch All Might and Midnight try to back away.

"Don't you two run away! I got to some fucking questions for you! Especially you two!"

Midnight and All Might sweatdropped as Takahashi began to walk towards him. "I fucking busted my ass and look at you. Skinny prick you are. Yet you can become a large beefcake! How do-does that even happen. You say it's like puffing your chest, but you got no meat! I trained most my life and I'm only lean!"

All Might felt really embarrassed as Takahashi poked at his bony chest. Midnight couldn't help, but snicker. However that got Takahashi's attention. "And you! You look like some sort of dominatrix who I meet in the red light district."

"...well I aimed to be sexy."

"Sexy nothing! You're plenty beautiful. And you were right. I haven't gotten laid in forever!"

"What?!" The two said as Takahashi almost seemed to be sobbing. Midnight was blushing red while All Might maneuvered around the man and looked at the flask. He sniffed it and could sense how strong it was. "What is this?"

Takahashi leaned in closer to Midnight. "Nemuri. I haven't dated anyone in years! The last person I dated was Recovery Girl!"

"What?!" Chiyo spat out her tea as she heard that. Nezu just gave her a side eye when he mentioned at. She gave a bashful look and rubbed the back of her head. "We were younger back then."

Midnight just had this blank look on her face as Takahashi pulled out his phone. "I-I tried to date, but look at this. Before I met the Midoriyas and with my age it's like I got kids. Look...Look at this bean!"

Her face shoved against his phone against a toddler Izuku. "I raised that. I raised that, healed that, taught that, and you know what. I wasn't even his hero. IT WAS ALWAYS ALL MIGHT!"

The blonde man spurt out blood at that admission as Takahashi seemed to be sobbing in Nemuri's arms. "Every day, every single damn day I got updates. All Might did this, All Might did that! I fought villains too! I'm cool. What makes that hunky muscular beefcake better than me? I am not a cool enough? Cause I try!"

"Why did you drink this?!" All Might shouted.

Takahashi sprung to his feet. "Because I wanted to! It's been awhile since I cut loose! And I'm not stopping!"

A purple and pink gas covered him. Takahashi noticed and slowly slid down. "Whoa...this is relaxing."

"He's not falling asleep?"

"I filter it. It's still relaxing though." Takahashi soberly said. "Just give me a minute."

Recovery Girl and Nezu watched on with a small grin as Takahashi finally calmed down.

 _Meanwhile_

Midoriya put down his backpack as he laid on his bed. Exhausted since he did some training on the way back to the house. Luckily all his school work was done. And know he could unwind by going over his hero notebook. Reaching in, Midoriya felt his hands touch wrapping paper.

"Oh Mineta's gift. I totally forgot about it after Takahashi started teaching." He grabbed it and remembered how Mineta reacted. "With the way he was acting I can't imagine it was something school appropriate, but he did say I could use it."

Tearing the wrapping, Midoriya saw the cover and turned red in an instant. Magazines with heroines in seductive positions and very vulgar titles.

' _L-L-L-LUSTY HERO GALS? QUIRKS LOVERS?...Latest Fashion Trends with Umbarwi? D-Did Mineta reacted that badly cause he was giving me dirty magazines!'_ His eyes turned to swirls as he dropped the magazines on the floor. ' _I save his life, give him a new hero resolution, and my reward for that is a Lusty Gals #58?! Some of these are just tabloids with suggestive heroine photos!'_

He was about to grab the magazines when he noticed something. Words. Paragraphs next to each girl. It was their bio. Basic information of their early life, career, and quirks. ' _Wait a second. This woman here has an expansion quirk. Growing certain assets of the body. It seems in the photo she used it to expand her thighs and calves. If this was a hero's quirk how would it change in battle? Is it similar to how Mt. Lady works?'_

He opened another notebook and went to a quirk list. Despite studying heroes for a long time, Izuku found himself fascinated with civilian quirks as well. Store owners, local families, even simple 9-5 office workers. Each one had some unique quirk that could be of interest to someone.

"...wait this next lady has a mutation quirk. Dragon Scales, huh? Formed the horns, patches of scaly skin, and tail, but other than that is a normal woman. If such a quirk was used in combat would they be one the same striking level as the Dragon Heroine? I wonder what these girls have. Maybe they have some form of variation from other quirks heroes have."

Soon Midoriya found himself reading the magazines and examining each model's quirk and applications to certain scenarios. The sunset waned into evening when he heard the door knob open.

"Izuku, I finished up dinner. I made katsu-" She stopped when she saw Midoriya sitting on his bed with several magazines sprawled on his sheets. He looked and froze as Inko looked on with abject horror. "Oh no. After that encounter with Momo, some sort youthful lust has finally taken hold of you. You even took my Umbarwi Fashion Trends magazine."

"What?!" He slammed his notebook shut as he saw his mother's eyes water. "N-N-No mom! It's not what you think! I'm studying their quirks and how they're applied to these-"

"R-Research! I know what teenage boys do! Takahashi has warned me about this." Tears began to comically flow. "Oh my sweet cinnamon roll! You're becoming a man now! I should've known with that pink classmate and Momo you were growing up, but I cannot deny it no longer!"

The teenager tried to calm his mother down when she gained a defeated expression. "Mom?"

"I can't believe it's come to this. I've spent my life dreading the day I had to talk to you about this, but you're going to school with many pretty girls and around your age things like these...magazines. We must have that talk."

Izuku turned white as a sheet as Inko sat down on the bed. She picked up one of the magazines and pointed at one of the more explicit pictures. "Now I think we should discuss what these are. To be the man for your future lover you must know about-"

' _NOOOO!'_ Izuku screamed in his mind as Inko went on to describe everything he needed to know about woman, men, and himself.

Day 3- Seeing the Invisible

Takahashi looked kind of annoyed as he was driving himself and Izuku to school. "Boy."

"Yes?"

"Am I bad teacher?" That question caught him off guard. "Be honest?"

"I don't...think so. I followed your lesson." Takahashi still didn't look too convinced and just focused on the road. "So...what's my lesson for today?"

"Huh, lesson? Oh chakra. Yeah today you'll be sensing energy."

Izuku gave a confused look. "But I can already sense energy."

Takahashi chuckled as he turned the corner and stopped. "And that is where today's twist comes in. I want you to keep your eyes closed for the entire day. All during class, lunch, and even going home. You should learn how to use that sixth sense as it may come in handy if your eyes or other senses are taken out."

Midoriya nodded at that and closed his eyes. "Do you remember how to activate it?"

"Of course. Close my eyes. Let the rest of the world fade away and focus." With his eyes closed, the world was black. However colored flames soon appeared. "And done."

"Good. One must always be aware of where they are, where they stand. Now I hope you don't use this as an excuse to sleep in my class." There was a little edge to his voice that made Midoriya raise an eyebrow. "Also make sure your friends pay attention. I feel Ashido isn't really listening."

They stopped in front of the school and Midoriya left with eyes closed. The dark space was now filled so many different and varying colors all over. ' _This is gonna be an interesting day.'_

 _At the beginning of class_

"Hey Midoriya." Mineta said.

"I will gut you with an honest to God smile on my face." Midoriya replied with a blank expression. Even with his eyes closed, it got the point across. Mineta swallowed nervously.

"S-So you opened the book. Enjoy it."

Midoriya leaned down to Mineta's level. "I actually did. I learned a lot about their quirks if that makes any sense. But still…"

The purple haired boy could feel his smouldering glare. Izuku was angry, but still wanted to test something now. As he concentrated his annoyance to him, the colors began to change shape to an almost clear image of a purple mineta with a grey core.

"M-Midoriya?"

"Just let this happen." The teen replied before continuing it for another minute. Mineta was just left incredibly 's when Present Mic stepped in to start their first class.

Class went on with the various teachers when the students finally got a break.

"Deku!" He put his head up and turned. A pink energy floated next to him before taking the familiar shape of Ochako. It seemed to include even more details as her hair looked better. "Whatcha doing? You've been keeping your eyes closed for awhile."

He looked up. "Oh I'm practicing my quirk."

"By not seeing anything?" He shrugged before explaining what the exercise was. She looked pretty intrigued. "You're pretty amazing Deku. I'm sure if you relax and put that big brain of yours you'll know what to do."

"T-Thanks." Midoriya blushed a little as he was tapping on his journal. He couldn't exactly read his own writing considering he was doing it with his eyes closed, but he wanted to write out his student pledge.

"Midoriya." The two looked up and saw Takahashi approaching them. "I already told Yaoyorozu about this, but you need to go meet the other class representatives. You were going to have this meeting a while back, but the principal moved it to today. After the break head down to the conference room near the principal's office."

He nodded and Ochako stretched. "Well I'll let you do your thing class rep."

"Thanks Ochako."

After class the two representatives walked to a different part of the school. They opened the doors and pulled the door open. The other representatives from the other classes had all their eyes on them before they took their seats.

"Ah welcome everyone." The principal appeared out of nowhere. "Let's begin. We shall introduce ourselves. Vlad call them out."

"Class 1-A Izuku Midoriya and Momo Yaoyorozu." The two got up and waved at the others. Yet they felt some of the other representatives eyes were really scanning them.

Some were whispering. "I heard those two were in the middle of the villain attack. They must be tough."

"No shit. I heard during the entrance exam that the guy one shotted a Zero Pointer and that girl got in through recommendations. 1-A always get the glory." Kendou sighed as she heard those whispers while Midoriya and Yaoyorozu were giving their introductory speech.

She didn't notice that Midoriya was hearing everyone's words. Words that made him tense up. Momo noticed, but kept to herself until they were alone.

She turned to her vice rep. "They sound interesting."

"Indeed. I can see why Monoma was trying to convince us to antagonize him." The redhead just facepalmed when hearing about her classmate. Since the attack on the USJ, Monoma's been complaining about their spotlight. In fact he was the one that riled up Tetsutetsu. It was annoying.

Still she could at the very least understand. Most agencies and heroes will invest more attention on future heroes that already have experience so the Sports Festival will likely focus on them.

"Class 1-B's representative. Itsuka Kendou and Shiozaki Ibara." The two stood up and gave their greetings and speech.

As Momo sat down with Izuku she whispered in his ear, "You seem real tense. Whatever you're trying I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Oh...you noticed?"

She nodded and held out her hand. He gave a confused look before she slipped it over his. "You can relax. They're just curious."

"Right." He looked at the front and watched the other representatives talk. He noticed Kendou and Ibara giving them some passing glances. He waved and they turned away. ' _Hopefully they're not planning another declaration of war. Especially since that's where that Tetsutetsu guy was.'_

The meeting finally ended and everyone left. Momo was walking next to Izuku when she got a text. "Oh. Izuku, I need to leave, but I'll see you around."

"Sure, I'll see you around."

After Momo left, Midoriya closed his eyes again. He needed to return back to his sensory exercise. The familiar darkness surrounded him as the place began to sprout flames. Midoriya had to admit, it was quite beautiful when it happened. Kind of like one of those artsy shows.

Walking down the hall, Midoriya heard a voice. "So I totally rented it for an hour."

It was Mina. She was talking with someone. Hagakure? Possibly. Izuku decided to try his little concentration exercise again. The two colored flames around him began to take shape. One of them morphed into the familiar shape of Mina. Her hair and horns stuck out. He smiled at his little accomplishment.

That's when the second flame next to her transformed. Next to Mina was a stunning girl. He opened his eyes and saw it was Hagakure. He blushed hard and couldn't believe it. "N-No way!"

If he could see her...see her face then that means if he were to see her during hero training. He snapped his eyes wide open and walked fast. Mina and Tooru were surprised to see him walk by.

"Hi Midori!"

"Hey Midoriya!"

He turned to wave back, but when he looked at Hagakure his cheeks looked flushed. "I need go!"

"Midori?!" They were confused as he almost ran down the hall. "I'll text you later!"

When he disappeared around the corner, Mina turned to Tooru. "What was that?"

"I dunno."

Day 4- Dance Practice

On the beach, Izuku stood still on the beach. Bright pink lights wrapped body as he took in another breath. After school, he's been running over to the beach and practicing his own new technique. A claim to make his powers truly his own.

"HAA!" His aura broke free and enwrapped him in green fire. It broke away as fast as it came. Midoriya fell to his knees and dry heaved as a consequence from his latest attempt. "Damn it."

Getting up, he patted the sand off his knees. He went over to his bag and saw his phone had several messages. It was all from Mina. One was an address, the second one the time, the third saying hi, and several more seeing if he was coming.

Midoriya swore loudly. Mina managed to snag some time from a local dance studio to teach him breakdancing! And he was going to miss their first lesson if he didn't book it. Grabbing his bag and activating Full Cowling, Midoriya jumped to 8% as he pulled up the directions to the studio.

 _Five Minutes Later_

Mina stood in front of the mirror with comfy dance clothes. A tight white shirt and stretch yoga pants. She was looking at her phone while stretching when she heard the door open in a panic. "Oh he's on time. I thought he wasn't going to make it."

"M...Mina! I'm here." He panted. Midoriya was sweating hard as he had to run across the roofs again. They always seemed to be the fastest way for him.

"Thanks for coming Midori." Mina said as she stretched. He composed himself as he dropped his bag next to hers. "I would suggest you stretch."

"Right." He tossed off his jacket and Mina saw some the muscle lines on his arms. She blushed hard and turned away as Midoriya tried to decompress from the run. "Hey thanks for going through with this. Even though we're supposed to be training for the Sports Festival."

"No problem. I've been focusing a lot on other things so I'm glad to be doing this with you." Mina said and grabbed the speaker from her bag. "Now Midori, I know you've got some skills. So we'll start off by seeing what you can do. I'll start the music and you freestyle."

"F-Freestyle?"

"Y-yes." She gave with a little mock gesture. It was a good jest and Midoriya took it like a champ since he knew Mina would never intentionally mock him with ill intent.

She pressed play and Midoriya started off by tapping his fingers. Closing his eyes, the entire world began to fade away as he tapped his foot. The rhythm was fast, but easy to remember. His body adjusted itself before he let it follow the music.

That same sensation from the dance club returned to him as he swung his body around. Flipping around, throwing his hands in the air, add a few kicks and-

"And now we stop." The music cut off and Izuku was thrown off by it when he slipped and fell on his face. "Midori!"

"It's fine." He groaned as he peeled himself off the ground. "You just caught me by surprise."

The pink girl shook her head and held out her hand. He gladly took it and she gave a tsk-tsk. "Midori, you were...decent. It started out great, but then you started doing your little kung-fu route."

He blushed, embarrassed that he did it again. Midoriya was just lucky that no one was here to get punched. "I guess we'll start with just making that body loose. So we'll start with the hips."

"Hips?" He said.

"Yeah. Just watch the mirror and follow me." The pink girl said as she put her hands on her hips. "A couple of my friends showed me this little hula thing to warm them up. You do the same ok?"

"Ok." Midoriya said. She stood in front of him and shook her hips slowly. Lifting one foot off the ground and having the same side hip go. She swayed it to where it moved like a wave to the other side. He looked on and did the same thing. Izuku's eyes moved from her foot, to her calf, all the way to her thigh, then her bu-

Steam almost fired out of his ears when he realized what he was looking at. He quickly looked at the mirror and saw Mina giving him a mischievous look. "You're looking carefully right?"

"Very Carefully!" He shouted as he robotically moved his hips in a stiff manner. She giggle inwardly.

' _We both know what you were looking at.'_ She let her body sway more seductively. ' _It's a good thing this warm up can be very...showy when it needs to be.'_

Midoriya kept his eyes forward and tried to focus. Just like with the magazines, he should focus on the components of the image not the image itself. Yet it doesn't help that the components of the dance need to be executed this way to function.

"Midori."

"YES!" He accidentally shouted.

Mina giggled and moved towards him. "Is it ok if I guide you? A little hands on approach to help you?"

' _NO, NO, NO, NO!'_ Izuku shouted in his mind. "Sure." His heart dropped. ' _DAMN IT!'_

Her eyes seemed to have brightened when she moved behind him. Getting close to his ear. "Stop forcing it Midori. If you want it to flow right, you need to let loose."

It was worse than Hatsume's. At least it took him by surprise and he got away, but Mina was doing this to instruct him and he couldn't say no! She put her hands on his hips as she made him move. Her fingers traced his sides and it didn't take too much to feel the outline of his abs underneath.

"That's it. Lift your foot and have the hip go up with it. Don't take it off the floor." Midoriya felt himself warm up as Mina was focusing on his work. Her golden pupils looked at his green ones as they continued. The atmosphere was getting tense. "Midori."

"Yeah." She leaned in a bit closer and he didn't move.

"You got it!" She flashed a bright smile. The whiplash from that almost physically hurt as Mina stepped away and pointed at the mirror. He was moving smoothly this time. Izuku was so caught off guard that he laughed in pure joy that he got some control over it. Mina on the other hand turned away. Her face was almost completely purple.

' _Th-That was too hot! He was looking right at me and I totally dipped! But how could I not when those I felt those firm sides and soft green eyes overwhelm me! You're weak Ashido, weak!'_

"Really Mina? I got it? I think I do! Look!" She slowly turned and saw him slowly speed up. He was being very gentle with his movements. Mina gave a shaky thumbs up and went over to her bottle of water to cool herself off.

Afterwards the rest of lesson began with the basic principles of breakdancing. After an hour and half Mina nodded. "That was great Midori! You're managing to get these things well. I'll give you some homework for you to try."

"Homework?"

"Don't worry. Unlike school, this one's fun. Find a few songs you want to dance to. And then come up with some moves. I mean I can help you with that." She gestured a little flirty move, but Midoriya didn't catch it.

"Eh it's homework and if you're going to be my instructor it's best you don't help until I finish." Mina got turned off by that rejection. "Still thank you very much. I'll take these lessons to heart."

' _Too cute!'_ Mina thought when he looked up to her. "Sure of course Midori! What're friends for? I wouldn't hesitate to teach you at all!"

He nodded and left. Mina just stood in the middle of the dance studio before slowly heating up. She was on the ground with hands covering her face. ' _That was a lot! He's so firm and cute! How can he be hot and cute at the same time!'_

As Midoriya was walking back home, he took Mina's words into account. Pausing he walked over to a clear forest patch near his place when he dropped his bag. Standing in the center of the area, Midoriya took in a deep breath.

His muscles relaxed and his breathing steadied when pink veins wrapped around him. Izuku's green hair softly lifted into the air as pink lightning sparked around him. That's when he remembered some of the advice his peers and Takahashi gave him.

" _You seem real tense. Whatever you're trying I'm sure you'll be fine."_

" _Stop forcing it Midori. If you want it to flow right, you need to let loose."_

" _One must always be aware of where they are, where they stand."_

" _You're pretty amazing Deku. I'm sure if you relax and put that big brain of yours you'll know what to do."_

The voices of his friends kept rattling in his head when he felt his chakra flow through his body. A bright light shined from him as he could feel it come more naturally to him.

' _This entire time I was stressing over it. I was so desperate to gain power that it stopped me. But just like Full Cowling I won't let this stop me! I can feel right now!'_ He felt his power exploded to new heights for a few seconds before breaking. Yet Midoriya didn't fall over. Tired, sure, but every other attempt had him on the ground.

He chuckled at his small victory and saw his hands spark the same pink lightning. It arched between his fingers as he flexed them. "YES! My true first step has finally been completed."

Day 5- Green and Purple

Class just ended and it was close to the end of the day. Some of the other students left to go out, but others like Mina and Kaminari are being sentenced to a study session. They've been sent to Momo. The rich girl took it upon herself to help them. Meanwhile Midoriya managed to overcome some obstacles for the Sports Festival, he needed to deal with one more thing.

"H-Hey Kaachan. How's your student pledge going? Got any tips?" Midoriya asked. Katsuki just looked at him before flipping him off. "That's expected. Gimme a break, this pledge is causing more stress than any of Takahashi's training methods."

"Hey Green." He turned around and saw Jirou looking at him. ' _Green?'_

"I know you might be busy, but Momo's helping Mina and the others. Can you give me a hand?"

"Oh Jirou. Uh, sure." He followed her to one of the study tables. ' _I could use a break from this pledge.'_

U.A had a few common rooms throughout where other students hung around. Just a few couches, seats, and tables for those who study.

She put a few of her books down and opened it. "You follow Takahashi's hero lessons?"

"Oh yeah I did." It was actually easier to follow his teaching method, but he could tell others were still having some issues. Hence the extra lessons with Momo. "You need help?"

"A little bit. The man knows what he's talking about but I have a feeling he could improve some of his teaching methods." That's a bit true. Midoriya sat next to her and helped her out.

Half an hour later, Jirou was getting a good amount of the answers right. "Wow I can't believe how connected they are."

"You kind of have to know a little history to see the connection, but yeah it is amazing." He turned to his journal and saw his empty page with the title _Student Pledge_. "So do you mind if we take a break. I kind of want to work on something."

"Sure. I need to work on Present Mic's assignment anyways." The two fell into a comfortable silence when Jirou pulled out her phone. "You mind music?"

"No you're good." He responded absentmindedly.

Jirou pressed play on the music as she did her assignment. As she was focusing her eyes glanced up to see Midoriya working on his. Every once and awhile though she sees him slightly bobbing his head to the music.

"Enjoying it Green?"

"Oh sorry Jirou! I didn't mean to disturb you."

"No it's fine dude." She waved off his concern. "I just didn't expect you to be such a rhythm tapper. You trying to be a drummer?"

"Drummer? Oh no, I just happen to listening to more music. It's kind of…" He thought of all the things he's been doing since the USJ. Meditation, training, dance, homework. Music seemed to cover most of those bases. "Therapeutic."

"I get behind that." She said. Her mind drifted off to the same event. Only she remembered how he was brutalized. And then when he came back...it's just a little hard to imagine it was the same guy who was helping her with homework. "You...need a few recommendations?"

"Really? I don't want to bother." She pulled out her phone and passed it to him.

"Number." He obeyed and put his cell number in. She took back her phone and sent him a few things. "I've been around music for awhile and I know what you need is some instrumental."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome Green."

That's when Izuku had to ask. "When did you start calling me Green? I think this is one of the first few times we've talked."

"Because you-" She stopped. Green. That's what he was when he blew up the lake and she was not gonna lie. His light was beautiful. Captivating and something she would've seen in a movie or music video. While his initial light was pretty, the one he had against the Nomu was something else. But Takahashi had the class sworn to secrecy and had to reaffirm it during their sessions with him. "That training exercise. You were glowing. I thought that make enough sense."

"O-Oh. Right. I forgot. I glow." He rubbed the back of his embarrassed. Jirou still couldn't believe that the guy who decimated that monster was the same one that's giving this innocent confused look. "Thanks I like it."

"Well good. I wouldn't want to call you anything you wouldn't like." He nodded and put on his headphones while she went to focusing on her work.

They fall back into silence when she saw him tapping his pencil to the beat of whatever song she recommended. What she didn't expect was when his screen lit up to show the title.

 _New Song Track Beta._

' _Wait. When sent him those instrumentals...did I send my own?!'_ She grabbed her phone and checked. It was! Along with a few artists, her test tracks were on Izuku's phone and he was listening to it. Her music hobby has now been unknowingly found out by her classmate! Jirou shot her head up to see that Midoriya had such a relaxed expression with his eyes closed. "G-Green. Midoriya!"

"Huh?" He snapped out of his relaxed posture. "Did you need something Jirou?"

"Y-You seem to be enjoying the music."

"Oh yeah greatly. I know a few of these artists since I had to look up a few, but I'm liking this current one. Whoever they are has some decent talent. Where'd you find them?" Jirou could feel her cheeks heat up with a mixture of embarrassment and praise. "Jirou?"

"I-Indie scene! I occasionally download a few tracks from the Indie music scene for...pleasure. And s-s-sometimes I can't seem to find the artist's name."

"Huh. Seems weird. You think some people would like to know who makes this beautiful music." Jirou put her head down as Izuku unknowingly complimented her again. "Jirou?"

"I gotta go! I-I'll see you around." She got up and left very quickly leaving Izuku alone in the study space.

That's when he looked down and realized his entire speech was not speech at all. It was a bunch of doodles.

"Dang it!"

Day 6- Takahashi's Class Assessment

"Alright Aizawa! You're back!" Present Mic yelled out. Aizawa grunted with annoyance at his loud voice. Takahashi was sitting at his desk as the original teacher examined at the results. The old man looked at him as he was canning through.

"The results are acceptable. You did a good enough job." Takahashi gave a sigh of relief when he said so. "By the way I saw that footage. The others told me what you did for me as well."

"Oh." Aizawa was the one who was initially suspicious of him when he came to U.A. He expected the principal to have told him something. The two shared a long stare when the underground hero sat down. "Nezu and the others know."

"Yeah. That's not a problem is it?" The staff around them noticed the tense air around them. They could almost see their eyes change color before Aizawa sighed loudly cutting it off.

"It's too troublesome. You saved the kids when the villain attack happened. And at the very least you had enough common sense to share it with the principal. Otherwise you'd have a lot of us suspecting you of something else."

Takahashi relaxed when Aizawa said that. "Are you just saying that cause I healed you?"

"Maybe." He replied. "Still as long as you have the student's interest in line I won't bust your back over it."

"Right."

"And I mean all students. Not just Midoriya." Takahashi glanced at the underground hero.

"I understand." Takahashi responded before returning to his papers. ' _Speaking of Midoriya, I need to get Inko something.'_

Day 7- The evening before the Sports Festival

"KATSUKI GET SOME SLEEP!" Mitsuki screamed. "SPORTS FESTIVAL IS TOMORROW YOU DAMN BRAT!"

"I'M GOING TO DO IT SOON YOU OLD HAG! NOW PISS OFF!" Bakugou screamed out while brushing his teeth.

Meanwhile Izuku and Inko were sitting on the couch.

"Sweetie do you think it's time you get some sleep? You got a busy day tomorrow."

Izuku looked at the time and nodded. He hopped off the couch and stretched. "Thanks for reminding me Mom. We can watch the rest of this show later."

"Izuku." He stopped and saw his mom giving him a proud smile. "I'm so happy you made it this far. And I want to apologize for...not being on your side when you needed me to. So I just wanted to say."

She pulled out a ticket and showed it to Izuku. He almost gasped when she passed it to him. It was a ticket for one of the few exclusive seats in the U.A arena. "Takahashi was kind enough to give me two of these when I told him I planned on getting some the cheaper seats. I want to be there for you."

Izuku felt himself starting to tear up, but he let them flow freely when he looked at his mom. He enveloped in her in a tight hug, one she gladly returned. They held their embrace for a minute long while Izuku felt things really changing for him.

He finally let go and went to his room. Midoriya sat on his bed when he noticed his notebook on his bed. Opening it, he saw the doodled page and flipped to a clean page. Everything that's happened to him, everything he's felt...maybe he can use that.


	19. Chapter 19

Fireworks were going off. Vali was walking down to the road as people were gathered around. He glanced at his watch before smiling. "Right on time."

He opened the door to a small student cafe. It was structured similar to a bar, but served non-alcoholic drinks. The place was packed and everyone was gathered around a large screen propped up on the wall. Vali scanned the area before finding the person he wanted to meet.

Approaching quietly, Vali stood behind the person in the booth when he tapped them on the head. "Hello father."

"Danuja. How are feeling now that you get a half day from school."

"Fine father." He responded as he saw the roster of students being displayed with commentary in the background.

Vali leaned down to his son's ear. "I ran into the chakra user."

His son twisted around so fast it almost cracked his neck. Vali leapt over the booth and sat next to him. "He's a boy with messy green hair and freckles. Looking into public records and what I had some of my "helpers" do research. His name is Izuku Midoriya. And even he's quite powerful."

Danuja clenched his fists when Vali laughed. "Don't get the wrong idea. While he is powerful, he is not at your level son. Which means he's obviously no prodigy and that he has a teacher."

"Him?"

"Him. Now we just have to find him. Our "helpers" are currently looking at the U.A staff or people closely associated with this Midoriya. So-"

"Jugo and Jugo's father! Thank you for coming!" The father son duo were taken out of their conversation as three students approach them.

"Yoarashi. I see you brought Shishikura and Utsushimi." Danuja said. They gave their greetings as Utsushimi moved over and winked at him.

"Ah come on Danuja-bro. You and I are like totally on the same level. You can call me Camie, remember that."

"Right...Camie." Danuja said as she moved in closer.

Vali shook his head. "Hello you three. I see you came to this bar as well per…"

"My agreement! Danuja didn't really care where he wanted to watch the Sports Festival, but coming here will be the best way for all of us to bond! Especially since me and him are first years!" Vali gave a small grin to his son, who turned his head away, and turned to Yoarashi. "Besides it is good to see you my friend's father!"

"You too." Vali responded as the others settled. "Excited?"

"Of course!"

"Duh! ;)" How does she do that?

"It would make sense. With the provisional license exam coming in a few months we'll need to do our best to deal with U.A." Shishikura said. Vali liked his attitude. Useful but a student and children are more of a liability for his plans.

' _Fate has smiled upon you Shishikura. You have an interesting quirk along with Utsushimi and Yoarashi but you are all too young. Too weak.'_ His malicious thoughts said. Danuja noticed his father's attitude and wanted to say something before Camie scooted closer.

"Yo you think this festival going to be lit or nah?"

"Uh...lit?" Danuja said. Camie giggled and faced the screen. They just watched the commentary while the rest of the Sports Festival was getting ready to start.

Vali focused on the screen and wondered. Where was he? Where was the man that was teaching Izuku Midoriya

 _Outside the U.A Sports Festival Arena_

"Good grief." The heat was sweltering as he adjusted his hat to cover more. The sun wasn't on top of him, but the excitement and grill of the place was making it warmer. ""Anyways where were we?"

Takahashi stood underneath a food booth and was cooking something. The heat of the day and grill was making him sweat. And with one hand on the grill and one on the phone, Takahashi seeked answers.

"Nezu. I would do most anything for you since you are my boss and gave me this job to work with heroic students, but why...am I working at the Takoyaki stand?" Takahashi grumbled on the phone.

The principal's laughter was heard on the other end of the line. " _Well I thought about it and thought...why not. I've heard how Midnight likes your cooking and you are a fast learner. However I think the main reason is your little incident earlier this week. Especially the part where you told me to kiss your ass."_

The old man was sweating nervously as the principal brought that up and his little drinking incident that happened earlier this week. " _Do you understand?"_

"Y-Yes sir. I'll gladly sell these takoyaki."

" _And save me some."_

"Of course." He hung up and let his head fall. Chiyo was setting up shop in the nurse's office while the students were getting ready.

"Oh Taka-baby!" The voice snapped out of his current duties as he looked up to see Midnight. "Hard at work I see."

"What did you just call me?" She leaned against the stand and smirked.

"Taka-baby. I thought of giving you a little nickname since you get to call me Nemuri and we've seen each other's drunk side." He gave her a blank stare as his drunk side was the reason he was currently making these treats. "Or maybe I'm just buttering you up for some of those delicious treats."

She eyed the fresh tray of takoyaki. He dropped his glare, chuckled, and put two in a paper container. She reached out for it when he kept just out of her reach.

"Sorry Nemuri. Buttering me up will have to do more than just a weird nickname." She pouted a little at her little gesture when she shrugged and leaned in. He swore his eyesight was too good when he saw her assets bounce a little.

"Pretty please with a cherry on top?" He said. Nemuri looked around. The press was all over the other heroes given the job of upgrading this year's security. So she might have this be invisible. She put her elbows on the temple and blew a soft kiss. "Taka-baby, please."

Takahashi was actually impressed. "7/10."

"Good enough for a treat?" He rolled his eyes and passed it to her. She squealed happily and ate it. "Mmm! This is delicious. You know I love a partner that can cook."

"Too lazy to make your own?"

She wasn't even mad as she licked her finger clean. Nemuri moved behind the stand to be next to him. "Not at all. It's just nice to have something hot. That's all."

Takahashi may not seem to notice, but Nemuri's little crush on him was on full display. Why wouldn't she have one? Caring, knowledgeable, surprisingly funny outside of work, and it's a bonus that he carries the most impressive build outside of All Might.

She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks Taka-baby. After this we should get drinks."

He didn't seem to react too much to her previous action as she left. Her eyes flashed a little disappointment. Something he did notice. "Don't think flattering me will buy the first round Nemuri. That's on you."

"Sure. Seems fair, but right now I need to get ready for this year's competitors." Nemuri had a brighter smile on and Takahashi rolled his eyes as he focused back on the stand. Her lips were softer than he thought. He shook his head and tried to make more since he just gave food out for free.

He was frying a few doughy balls when he heard a ring from the front. The old man walked out and saw Inko and Mitsuki.

"Hello Takahashi."

"Yo old man."

Takahashi waved at them. "Hello you two. You here for some takoyaki?"

Inko was just looking at him with some smug look and he realized that she saw his entire interaction with Nemuri. "Shut it Inko. I know that shit-eating grin."

"Oh I'm not saying anything." Mitsuki tried to contain her mirth as she saw the two standoff. It really was like a father-daughter bond with her acting like a child seeing their parent try to woo someone. Takahashi put some more takoyaki in and held it up to them.

"Just take this and leave."

Inko just smiled brightly and accepted the treat. "We actually came this way to say thanks! Mitsuki and I were just content with watching the event from her TV."

"The husband and I had it all planned. The treats, air condition, and replay value to see our boy work. But he had to be called out during this time. So I was caught off guard when this little mint woman came to me with a plus one ticket. All from you! You make a pretty good dad, old man."

Takahashi rubbed the back of his head bashfully as he had a tiny blush on his cheeks. "Nonsense. I thought Inko would want to see her son try to win today's events. Which I'm guessing you wanted to do too."

Mitsuki nodded happily. "Well I'm pretty tough on the kid so I thought maybe some support from his mama would be appreciated. By the way...how is he?" He was surprised by the change her tone as she asked about her son.

He thought about how Bakugou was. How would he say it without getting this woman's fury. "He's very proud of his skill. A bit arrogant to boot, but he has a level of determination I see few could equal to. Honestly he reminds me of when I was younger."

Takahashi stopped right there as he said those last words. Younger. Him. Besides bullying Izuku, maybe there was some truth behind those words. Even Mitsuki seemed surprised by that.

"If he's like a younger you, then I might not have to worry much." She said.

"I would fix that superiority complex of his. Try." He commented. Mitsuki noticed the slight edge in his tone and nodded. "Good. I'll see you around."

"Bye Takahashi."

"See you old man." The two turned to the arena.

Takahashi waved goodbye to Mitsuki and Inko when he sensed a few more people approaching. "Oh look, Takoyaki stand!"

He turned his head and saw Death Arms, Kamui Woods, and Mt. Lady. He's been paying attention to more heroes and heard about how some stores gave a certain heroine free stuff for a few looks. Not to mention he's seen a few of her interviews, very vain and obviously in for the glory. ' _Good freakin grief. I can already tell where this going if I'm not careful.'_

"Hello. How may I help you?"

"Yeah can I have two orders of takoyaki." Mt. Lady asked politely.

' _So far, so good. But I just gave three orders of away maybe if I play my cards right...'_ Takahashi punched in the order and got the total. "That'll be 1,000.54 yen."

That surprised them but food was always pricey during festivals. Mt. Lady quickly formulated her strategy while Kamui Woods and Death Arms both sighed as they knew what she was going to do. Mt. Lady adjusted her position and twirled a strand of hair.

"I think I left my wallet in my other costume. Would happen to show some good will to a hero?"

"No." Takahashi said. Mt. Lady's eyes and body turned black and white.

"Wh-What do you mean by that?!"

"I mean no. You don't have money. So no food." It seemed like lightning struck the hero as she grumbled over as he noticed signs of a liar. "Oh so you do have money. Lying is not very becoming of a young heroine."

"Shut it you...shitty old man!"

"Mt. Lady!" Kamui Woods shouted. "Don't talk to the elderly like that!"

Oddly enough, Takahashi felt his eye twitch when he heard that. ' _I know I let myself age a few years...but do I really look that old? Or do people think white hair and a few wrinkles means you're an elder? Kids today, no respect.'_

"Tell you what. You are a hero and we always owe heroes some sort of debt." He brought out a more cheerful tone. He may as well have some fun. Mt. Lady looked confused when he covered the menu and prices. "So we can haggle. Original price 1,000.54 yen. So name your price."

The trio heroes were caught off guard by the offer when Takahashi slid his finger across the brim of his hat. "Uh...400 yen!"

"900. Care to try again?"

Mt. Lady had a little vein pop out as he put out that price. The two went back and forth.

"525!"

"890."

"575!"

"750."

Mt. Lady checked her options and knew he wouldn't settle for anything less than 600. They both pointed at each other and yelled. "650 yen!"

A few passerbys caught the exchange and saw Mt. Lady sweating from such an intense haggle. Takahashi held his hand out and she fessed up the yen. He smirked as he put it in the register and put the freshly made takoyaki in a paper container. She accepted her prize with glee as Death Arms and Kamui Woods had a sweatdrop expression.

"Thank you for your brave service have a good day."

"Yeah. Thanks." She had a fake smile on her face as angrily chewed on her paid food. Before they walked too far, the three heard a whistle. They turned around and saw Takahashi with the menu in hand.

It had the original price. Two takoyaki for...216.67 yen! Her jaw dropped as the old man winked at them. Death Arms and Kamui Woods quickly turned away to make sure she didn't see them laugh. She almost threw her treat away as Takahashi gave a kind smile.

"Please come again." Trolling people in real life haas become a forgotten art and especially something frowned upon someone who works for a top hero school, but it was something he was willing to indulge. ' _Besides that'll cover the three orders I gave to Midnight, Inko, and Mitsuki.'_

He looked up at the coliseum and watched the fireworks. "A good old sports tournament surrounding a bunch of high schoolers. Not bad. I still miss the Olympics though."

 _U.A Locker Rooms_

"Man I wish we could be in our costumes. I think we'd all stand out more." Mina said.

"That would just be unfair Mina. Though you would stand out if you we saw your costume." Midoriya said.

The pink girl stuck her tongue out. "Whatever bunny hood."

Momo cleared her throat. "Alright that's enough. We're all classmates here and the Sports Festival hasn't started yet. We'll get our zingers out."

Everyone but a few chuckled as they got ready. They were all in their gym clothes as a way to keep things fair as some costumes do give some quirks a boost in their capabilities and this event was to judge them all equally.

Izuku zipped up his jacket while everyone else was chattering. He was doing some breathing exercises when he sensed some ill will being sent his way. Turning to expect Bakugou, Midoriya was surprised to see Todoroki approach him.

"Midoriya."

"Oh hey Todoroki. What's up?" He glared hard at the green boy and Midoriya could sense that this wasn't anything good. "Um...Todo-"

"It's pretty obvious if we scale everyone's power here, you and I are the strongest." That statement got everyone's attention. No one moved not even Katsuki. Todoroki had more to say. "Despite that however I want to let you know that you will not beat me in this tournament."

"Pretty bold words." Izuku relaxed as he stood up to the dual haired teen. "'I mean did you just assume? Cause you know that makes an ass out of you and-"

"No. I'm stating a fact." Midoriya looked a little peeved to be interrupted. "It won't matter if you have All Might or Takahashi's eye on you."

Izuku almost felt his heart skip a beat when he mentioned that. Todoroki continued. "I have no intention of knowing what your relationship with them is, nor do I care. I just want to let you know where you stand."

' _Where I stand?'_ Flashbacks to his childhood. Despite Takahashi being there, he was still bullied. Still picked on for his status. Still remembering everyone telling him where he had to stand. The entire room felt cold as Izuku's gaze were intensely focused on the ice user. Even he noticed as Izuku took a step toward him. "Look I-"

"Hey guys! Come on let's not do this here. We're all friends right?" Kirishima interjected. Izuku snapped out of his gaze and nodded. Todoroki scoffed at that.

"We're not here to socialize or become buddies. This is all a matter of showing what we got. And I have no intention of letting something like that get in the way." Izuku noticed something else. Despite Todoroki staring right at him, it seemed as if he was actually looking towards someone behind him. His ire wasn't towards him.

"Todoroki." Izuku called out in a cold voice. The teen looked at him. A moment passed when he flashed a bright smile. "Let's do our best, ok."

The ice user didn't reply and walked out. Everyone followed a minute after with Midoriya wishing them all luck as well at the door. Izuku was the last one out the door when he knew he was alone. He dropped the smile and facepalmed.

"Gimme a break Todoroki."

They all walked down the hall towards the light when they could hear the cheer of people in the stands. Present Mic was at the announcements area with Aizawa. They entered when Present Mic called them.

"AND HERE WE HAVE CLASS 1-A!" The crowd went wild as they all saw the students that survived a villain attack.

"I heard that one of students got to beat down the ringleader of the entire thing."

"No way. Really?"

"Papa, they look cool."

"Yes sweetie they do."

Midoriya felt a bit overwhelmed as he saw the crowd. So many people. So many eyes. "You ok Deku?"

He turned to Ochako and nodded. Taking a deep breath, Midoriya straightened up and walked on.

At the cafe bar, Danuja and the others watched. Several other students from their school voiced their opinions as well. Vali leaned over to his son and pointed at Izuku. "That's him. That's the chakra user."

"He seems...rather plain." Danuja replied.

Vali shook his head. "Do not be deceived son. Plain or not, we sensed his power that day during the USJ attack."

"I'm not underestimating. I'm just observing." He quickly said. Vali chuckled as he looked up to see Inasa giving a rather intense glare at the class. He followed it to Todoroki.

' _Interesting? Something happened between them? It doesn't matter. I doubt it's anything truly significant. Besides I need to keep an eye on our goal.'_ Vali kept his eye on the crowd. Maybe who they were searching for was around.

As the beginning ceremonies were about to begin, Takahashi was finally freed and dropped off some lovely treats over as an apology to the principal. He decided to meet up with Chiyo after the student pledges were given. Running up the stone stairs, he exited out to the crowd and sensed where Inko and Mitsuki were. He hopped over the railing and landed on the stairs below.

"Takahashi!" Inko said in surprised. He winked as he sat on the stairs. "You're free?"

"You know I'm part of the medical staff right. Good grief Inko, keep up." She stuck her tongue out at him as Mitsuki leaned over to look at Takahashi.

"Good grief? That's an old saying."

"I only say it when I'm annoyed."

"You say it a lot." Inko chimed.

"Exactly." He replied. The three shared a small laugh as they heard the final fireworks go off for the final class. Every student from Hero to General, from Support to Business, every student was there. To prove themselves and to stand before the entire world.

Takahashi looked around and saw where the teachers were. All Might was there and Takahashi knew he would have to sit next to him sometime during the tournament. And as he kept looking around, the crowd filled his sight with colorful characters. One that stood out was one of the few standing heroes.

His beard was made out of fire and carried the coldest blue eyes with his own being the exception. He recognized him from the news and hero rankings. The Number Two Hero, Endeavour. Todoroki's father. He remembered their household and how...desolate it felt especially for Shoto. Takahashi could already feel his dislike towards the hero, but ignored it when the crack of whip was heard.

"AND THIS YEAR'S FRESHMAN EMPIRE IS THE R-RATED HERO, MIDNIGHT!" Present Mic screamed. The crowd, specifically a majority of men and few women, cooed and swooned for the hero as she walked up stage.

' _So confident. I just realized how truly skimpy that outfit is. I would die of embarssment wearing that in such a large crowd.'_ Takahashi thought to himself.

"Good afternoon! And welcome to this year's Sports Festival!" She announced. Claps and hoots echoed throughout. "Before we begin with festivities, let's start with our student pledges. Due to this year's exceptional crop, two students have earned the right to start us out! So I bring forth Izuku Midoriya and Katsuki Bakugou!"

"That's my boy!" Inko cheered.

"So something great brat!" Mitsuku shouted. In the class, Midoriya and Bakugou glanced at each other as they walked up.

Bakugou was the first to step in. Midnight gestured at the microphone and Bakugou took his turn. He looked around and everyone was waiting with bated breath. Inko, Mitsuki, and Takahashi were especially interested.

"I'm going to win."

Boos came out as the students called him out. Midoriya wanted to facepalm, but he couldn't do it without the cameras seeing him do so. "SHUT IT!"

"What the hell man?"

Bakugou turned to Kirishima and pointed at the others. "Honestly that's all I wanted to say, but since I was given a warning about this, I'll make this absolutely clear. Only the best of the best can stand here and I know for a fact I'm one of them. If any of you damn extras even think of coming here you got another thing coming."

Takahashi let those words sink in and felt something...familiar about them. Bakugou turned to the crowd. "Heroes like All Might never lose and I think that's what a hero is. One that can never lose against such pathetic people like villains. Heroes are the strongest and the strongest never fail. To crush an opponent is just a step towards that goal and I know that at the end of the day I'll be standing above the rest of you. That's all I have to say. You got a problem with that? Then deal with it."

The entire crowd was silent as Katsuki said that with only a few clapping in some way trying to wave off how awkward that was. Everyone else watching was definitely surprised by that.

Mitsuki facepalmed though. "You damn brat! What the hell?"

"He does seem confident though. We can give you credit on that." Inko stated.

"He's not exactly wrong either." Takahashi said. He lowered the brim of his hat to have the shadows cover his eyes. "Today's society has a tendency to clamor towards the strongest. Even someone as pure as All Might needs his immense strength or else villains would rule society."

The two women looked at him. "Takahashi are you okay?"

"Hm? Oh I'm fine just...nostalgic." He watched Bakugou walk down the stairs and join the rest of his classmates. It was now Izuku's turn.

Midoriya stepped up to the microphone. He could feel the heat of everyone else's stares bare down on him. Bakugou really screwed him over with the crowd. He tried remembering everything he could about the pledge he wrote. That's when he took a breath and opened his mouth.

"This is a bit overwhelming. Hi." A chuckle rippled through the crowd as Midoriya tried to deal with his sweaty palms. Inko was holding her hands together as Midoriya took a second to breathe. All Might especially was watching. ' _Come on Young Midoriya. You can do this.'_

"We all have something to prove today." Everyone took the bait as Midoriya said that line. "Everyday we go about our days, waiting for an opportunity to come forward and make our dreams come true. And for us in U.A today is that day. For Hero students, it's to impress agencies to take us in. For business and support, to show their capabilities in supporting said heroes. And for those in General, maybe not all but some…"

He glanced and saw Shinso looking at him. "Some want to stand up amongst the crowd and want to prove their value. To show that where they stand today does not define their current path. I like to think that way as well!"

Izuku felt his passion and emotions come flooding in. "Our path in life is one of love, pain, desire, disappointment, happiness, and anger! If we so desire, to achieve our goal, we would move the Earth itself to make it happen and I know today's festival will show that! I once stood powerless, empty, and afraid of what my future would be, but no more! That setback only served as fuel for what I desire today. I see that same fire within everyone here now! Today everyone stands together with an equal opportunity and will try to show the world that We. Are. Here!"

Both Takahashi and All Might's jaw dropped at the speech. Every student was caught off guard by the level of passion in the speech. Shino, especially, was looking at Midoriya with the most confused eyes.

"Izuku." Momo said with an awestruck tone. Bakugou glared at him while everyone slowly began to cheer. Clapping and hoots filled the arena. Midoriya politely bowed as he got down from the stage and joined his friends.

"Deku! That was amazing!"

"Hear, hear Midoriya!" Iida said as he patted Midoriya on his shoulder. He was surprised to feel the level of shakiness from him. He was shaking like a leaf and he felt his heart pumping so fast, he wouldn't have been surprised if it broke through his ribs.

"Good job Green." Jirou mumbled.

"Midori. You have such a way with words." Mina said with shiny eyes. As everyone slowly settled down. Midnight smirked.

"Amazing speeches from our students! And so we will no longer waste anymore time!" The screen behind her turned on and showed various games to begin the event. "We'll begin by trimming down the herd! And we'll do so with this!"

The games spun around before it highlighted...Obstacle Race.

"Get ready students! This will begin your journey through hell to reach the top!" Midnight announced.

Takahashi leaned in closer. ' _Alright Izuku. You got everyone's attention. Now time to put your training to a real test! Do as All Might says and declare that, "I Am Here!"'_


	20. Chapter 20

As everyone got settled, deep inside a dark room sat a man. Several tubes were attached to his body and were pumping some fluid into him. Yet this did not diminish his intimidating presence.

"Doctor."

"Master?"

"Tomura, has he fully recovered?" He asked. The doctor nodded and went over to the door. Tomura walked in with his black hoodie covering him. His hand was wrapped in bandages along with him using a cane.

He held a cold glare at the floor. "Has he not fully recovered?"

"No. The beating he took during the USJ was much harsher than we initially thought." The Doctor said.

"Sensei." Shigaraki said. "Why are we watching the trash?"

The man chuckled as he waved his hand. A chair was shown to be next to him. Tomura sat down next to him when the man reached over and grabbed his hood. "No use for the hood Tomura."

Pulling it down, the light of the TV illuminated Shigaraki's face. His face was mostly the same with the exception of a ghastly scar o n his left cheek. The scar was from that hard right hook Izuku gave him before the beatdown.

It was because of him and Takahashi's beating that he was still recovering. The man chuckled. "No need to be ashamed of your scar."

"I want to kill him. I want to kill Izuku Midoriya!" That name has been echoing in his head since he pieced out his name from his classmates and teachers. And with what intel they could gather on Class 1-A, he's been paying special attention to him. "He's too much like All Might."

They looked at the screen and speak of the Devil, Izuku was on screen. Tomura clenched his fists.

" _Today everyone stands together with an equal opportunity and will try to show the world that We. Are. Here!"_

"My how inspirational. I can see what you mean." He pondered on him and what Tomura told him when he returned from the USJ.

 _A While Back_

 _Kurogiri and Tomura returned. Upon returning, Tomura fell to the ground with a loud thud. Blood was seeping out of his wounds and his breath was ragged. "Tomura Shigaraki! How bad is the damage?"_

 _Tomura tried pushing himself up, but with all the adrenaline gone his body was now shutting down from all the pain. However his rage kept the mind sharp. He pieced together the people he blamed for this and for once All Might took a backseat to it._

 _Their names. Their friends said the names of the two people that have earned his rage. "Takahashi, Izuku Midoriya. Next time I see you, you're dead!"_

" _Hm…interesting. Tomura."_

" _Sensei!" He tried to get up, but couldn't. "The trash. The trash beat Nomu! Those glowing bastards beat my Nomu with All Might!"_

" _Glow?" Tomura explained everything. Izuku Midoriya trapping Nomu, beating him up, Nomu almost killing Izuku, how he somehow came back, and when Takahashi and All Might arrived. "Fascinating. And they shined with different colors. The old man, what color was his?"_

" _A dark blue." Tomura groaned. "He was just as strong and fast as All Might and All Might, himself, hasn't gotten weaker! You told me he was weakened!"_

" _All for One." Kurogiri called out. "The signs of weakness we've been observing for the past three years have been for naught. He defeated the Nomu with only five strong punches."_

 _A flash of anger coursed through him. All Might strong again? Impossible, the wound he gave him should be draining whatever strength he has left. It doesn't make sense unless…_

 _He looked back at the screen. "Tell me more about this other man. This Takahashi."_

"Sensei?" All for One snapped out of his rare daze and saw Tomura giving him a questioning look. "Are you alright."

"Focus on these heroes Tomura. If you intend on destroying society, you must know those who defend it."

"...sure." They turned to the screen as everyone was getting ready for the first event.

 _U.A Arena_

"EVERY FIRST EVENT HAS THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF ELIMINATIONS! LET'S GO!"

"Stop yelling." Aizawa commented. The students gathered at the end of the hall. Waiting for their mark, everyone was murmuring excitingly to see how everything will be kicked off.

Takahashi watched with high interest. Not just on Izuku, but the other students. This generation of heroes is destined to replace the current one in the next few years. Heroes that would help the world stay balanced.

"I hope my baby can do this."

"I have faith Katsuki's got this." Mitsuki commented.

Izuku and the others finally reached the end of the hall and the starting line. He looked around to all his classmates when he saw Todoroki. Steel gaze toward the end of the track, focused on his goal, and standing in the front.

' _The front? If I had his ability then I would...shit.'_ He charged One for All throughout his body. Pink sparks arced around him as everyone got ready.

"BEGIN!" Midnight shouted. Todoroki slammed his right foot on the ground and froze everything. Using that extra time, he slid across the floor. However before he got too far, the screams of the others were overshadowed by other quirks being used.

He turned to see a sizeable amount of his own classmates weren't deterred by the ice. Izuku powered up and power slided across the ice. While he was doing it, he saw Mineta above him. The boy was bouncing around as he was catching up to Todoroki.

"You thought it was going to be Midoriya who caught up to you, but it was I, Min-!" Mineta felt something hard hit his cheek. His teeth rattled and he had one thought in his head. ' _Ow.'_

The purple haired teen was sent flying away and Todoroki slowed down to see several robots. Midoriya saw them too, but focused power to his legs and hopped into the air. He caught Mineta in his arms and landed.

"Mineta are you ok?!"

"I..am the Mineta." He replied with a daze. Midoriya put him down gently and stood back up. A loud creaking noise and he could see a hard layer of frost covering them. Todoroki kept running forward as everyone else caught up.

"You look like the zero pointers. You're big." It growled Midoriya cracked his knuckles as he felt One for All flow through him. "I destroyed bigger."

He dashed forward when he felt a foot slam against his head. "MOVE IT DEKU!"

Bakugou flipped over him and pointed his palm at him. Midoriya covered his face when Bakugou blasted him. That sent him flying back. He landed on his back and saw Bakugou smirking at his fall before maneuvering himself over the robot.

"You blonde piece of..." He muttered. Midoriya hopped back to his feet and saw one of the robot fingers. He grabbed it and tore it clean off. Taking a moment to settle himself while everyone was dealing with the other robots. "RAH!"

The piece of metal cut through the air and Bakugou didn't notice until it hit him in the back. "AH! What the hell?!"

Midoriya smirked and continued on. A robot set its sight on Midoriya when its head caved in. A clean broke through it's metallic skull and Momo smirked triumphantly. She created a cannon, but not a normal one. It was a sleek metallic with modern technology.

Midoriya noticed and raised an eyebrow. Of all the times she's used her quirks, Momo never created something like that. Questions for later, he focused forward. The race continued on and the crowd was loving it.

Takahashi smirked when he saw Midoriya's little comeback. Inko was breathing hard as she watched her son continue to run. This was the first time she's truly seeing him in action. It was scary, but cool at the same time. Her son was cool.

"That's it Katsuki! Catch up to that peppermint haired brat!" Mitsuki loudly shouted. Inko noticed how pumped she was. Maybe it was something she needed to do.

"You can do it Izuku! I believe in you!"

Midoriya was trying to keep up with Todoroki and Bakugou when the ground began to shake. It opened up and to pop out a mock town. In fact it was an exact replica of the Musutafu market area. Only it was almost a winding maze. Todoroki grunted in annoyance before creating an ice platform above it. Bakugou flew through the air.

"BEHOLD SECOND OBSTACLE! MAZE TYPE ONE!"

"If any of you hope to become heroes, urban navigation should be a given skill." Aizawa noted. Midoriya summoned 8% of his power. Everyone else tried to follow and Iida was dashing across the obstacles.

Tsuyu landed on a lamppost and smirked. ' _This is exactly my area!'_

She hopped onto one of the roofs when she felt something land next to her. Midoriya was running at an equal pace with her. "Izu?"

"Oh hey Tsu." They jumped over a gap between the roofs. "Lovely day for run."

She seemed really confused. This was a competition, but he had time for friendly conversation. He looked ahead and saw something that can help him. "I'll see you later."

"What?" She started when he rushed forward. He sprung over the grab and grabbed one of the metallic wires. He aimed his finger and fired one narrow beam to cut it. Midoriya grabbed it in time. The line snapped and sent Midoriya swinging.

"AND IZUKU MIDORIYA SAILS THROUGH THE AIR! CLEARING OUT MOST OBSTACLES!" He let go in time and let the momentum run its course. Leaning back, Midoriya did a slow backflip when he saw he was reaching a window. He balled himself up and brought his aura to shield him. The glass broke when he crashed through it, but he rolled forward and went back to running.

Running to the other side, Midoriya jumped through an open window cleanly. Todoroki noticed how much ground he gained and looked surprised.

"Hey on your left! You Icy-Hot Bastard!" He turned to his left and saw Bakugou catching up to him too.

"You two are annoying." Todoroki slammed his foot down and swiped in Bakugou's direction. The blonde dived out of the way, but the second volley forced him to use his quirk. Blowing away multiple chunks of ice away, it eventually overwhelmed him and sent the blonde back a bit.

"Damn it Katsuki! You can do better than that!"

"Mitsuki it's only the second obstacle." Takahashi commented. She didn't really acknowledge that comment and kept screaming at the screen. The old man sighed and focused back. ' _Still it's impressive that despite being in the air, he maintained his position and fired enough explosions to deal with the worst of it. Impressive to say the least.'_

Midoriya noticed that and saw Todoroki looking at him, he slammed his foot again and a giant ice mass coming towards him. Midoriya tried hopping over it, but he didn't gain enough height and was sent flying off. He crashed into a building and fell to the ground. He braced himself for the when he felt someone slap him. It caught him off guard as he floated above.

"Deku!" He looked up and saw Ochako looking at him. "Are you ok? Good thing I managed to catch you."

"Yeah you caught me again. Thanks." He flashed such a bright smile that Ochako had to turn around.

"You're welcome! Uh, should we be on our way." Midoriya nodded and began to run. Ochako followed him. The had scattered a good chunk of the student population. Midoriya could sense it.

The two were getting close to the end of the maze when Midoriya felt something coming towards them. More specifically aiming at them.

"Ochako move!"Midoriya pushed Ochako out of the way when he felt whatever was coming to the them latch on his back. He knew the weight now. "Mineta?!"

"Uh, hi Midoriya. D-Don't drop me! I tried to get on Yaoyorozu, but she swatted me off. But luckily I got you my friend. " He couldn't waste any time to get rid of the midget so he continued powering forward. "Ah yeah! This is the fast route!"

"You don't ride for free, man!" Midoriya shouted. "So earn your keep or dropping you off!"

Ochako watched them bicker and was very gratefully that she wasn't used as piggy back ride. Gathering her bearings, the gravity girl surged forward. She looked to her side and saw most of her classmates running nearby. Momo, especially, spearheading the entire charge with a steel eye focused on the end.

Todoroki was ahead of everyone and was getting closer to the goal. He heard a boom and saw Bakugou recovered from the last blast. "Not so fast you bitch!"

"That's it Katsuki! Keep it up!" Mitsuki clenched her fist.

"Hey lady keep it down. We're all trying to watch." One of the guys said. Mitsuki got a visible vein of irritation as she turned to the man. Takahashi and Inko noticed how her eyes lost her pupils as she yelled at the man.

Takahashi gave a blank expression when Mic shouted again.

"AND THAT WITH A GOOD CHUNK OF STUDENTS OUT OF THE WAY WE MOVE TOWARDS OBSTACLE THREE!" Present Mic cleared his throat. "You know I'm surprised to say the least. I see a good chunk of your students Aizawa. You've been teaching them well?"

Aizawa scoffed. "Thank God you're speaking normal. I teach what I can but these students. They experience what it truly means to fight villains, for survival, and to see another day."

Takahashi watched Izuku closely as Mineta rode on his back The purple boy was tossing balls left and right, creating a trap filled path. Midoriya looked grateful for the help as he cleared another obstacle. He felt a smile creep as he saw Izuku doing his best to keep up. All Might was doing the same as he was getting closer to Todoroki. Bakugo managed to catch up to him and tackled him to the ground.

"GOT YOU! You were stupid to keep your eye on Deku, I'm the real threat!"

"Really? Prove it." Todoroki held his palm out and Bakugou did too. An explosion of ice erupted and engulfed them. A frosty haze covered the area when Bakugou emerged from the top. Todoroki saw him and used the mist as cover.

"They learned not to hesitate."

"DAMN IT!" Bakugou screamed as he fired a blast in the mist. Todoroki jumped back from where it was to land before it hit the ground. An audible click was heard and Todoroki summoned an ice wall.

A pink cloud exploded and everyone stopped. It blew away the mist and revealed the empty field. Yet there were clear signs of something buried. "Mines! They planted landmines!"

"Oh my God they planted landmines!" Midoriya shouted. "Some of us take walks here."

"THAT'S RIGHT WE HAVE LAND MINES! DON'T WORRY THEY WON'T PERMANENTLY HURT YOU, BUT WILL LEAVE A NASTY SURPRISE!" Present Mic shouted. "GOOD LUCK!"

Takahashi chuckled. Pretty amused by the whole situation, this was a bit more exciting than he gave it credit for. Bakugou landed on the ground and saw Todoroki carefully navigating the area. The blonde also knew that it would be unwise to use his quirk now. It would blow up in his face.

Midoriya and the other noticed and began to pace themselves. Even Iida was trying to get through without running through.

"Uh, Midoriya. What're you gonna do?" Mineta asked. Izuku looked at him and back at the field.

' _I'd use Mineta's bounciness to get through, but that only applies to him. I need something else. Something that can get me through.'_

As his mind was racing that's when he realized something. Shigaraki couldn't kill him. His aura shielded him. Shield.

Midoriya looked around. Everyone was still being careful and both Todoroki and Bakugou slowed their pace as they were near the end of the field. There was no way he could catch up, to reach first place. No conventional way at least.

Takahashi and All Might were confused as Midoriya just stopped. "Young Midoriya. What're you doing?"

"Mineta." The boy looked at Midoriya who now bore a hard glare.

"Yeah."

"I'm getting past this minefield. Whether you make it or not is up to you." He planted his feet down and got into a ready position. Mineta began to sweat a little as he felt something warm up on Izuku's back.

Some of the students were a little confused as they all passed Midoriya, leaving him in the back. Midoriya took one last look at the end of the field when he powered up. Power rocketed throughout his body and his legs sprung him forward. His core flared up and wrapped around him. Enveloping him in raw energy.

A loud boom was heard and everyone felt something fast past them. Then the explosions went off. Dozens of mines went off with that sonic boom. Mineta couldn't hold on and his grip failed him, leaving him in the pink clouds."HOLY SHIT!"

"What the-"

"Is that-?!" Bakugou and Todoroki felt everything slow down to a crawl as they saw a flash of green. It was Midoriya and his aura turned him into a speeding comet. His eyes were purely focused

' _Chakra Boost: Absolute Speed!'_ Midoriya screamed in his mind as he past them. Jumping off the ground and letting the force carry him, Midoriya turned around and pointed two finger guns at Bakugou and Todoroki.

"Bang." He said and two green balls of energy hit the mines below them. The two braced for impact as the final two mines pushed Midoriya ahead. He fell on his back but caught himself. Pushing off the ground, a cloud of dust was kicked up and he sailed through the air.

"OH MY GOD! IZUKU MIDORIYA BUSTS THROUGH ALL THE COMPETITION AND IS HEADING TOWARD THE ARENA!"

"Go Izuku!" Inko cheered as she stood up. Midoriya's aura broke as he landed. Pink veins wrapped around him as he entered Full Cowling 10%. He entered the tunnel and saw the light in the distance. "You can do it sweetie!"

Mitsuki stopped railing on Katsuki as she saw how pumped up Inko was. She had tears running down her face as her son ran through and appeared first in the arena. She smiled at her friend's joy and sat back down, waiting for her own brat to make it through.

"AND OUR EVENT ENDS WITH IZUKU MIDORIYA MAKING A HUGE SPLASH!"

Takahashi noticed that as well and clapped along with everyone else as Midoriya was trying to catch his breath.

' _Good job boy.'_

The Jugo's witnessed it with everyone else when Inasa screamed happy. "Oh yeah that's what I expect from U.A! That's a Plus Ultra Student!"

"He's kind of cute too. Freckles work him fam." Camie commented. Their third companion shook his head while Vali glanced at his son. His fists were shaking a little while a bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face.

' _Fascinating. It seems Izuku Midoriya has two powers. Chakra and his quirk. Not only that it seems to be a strength enhancing quirk. I wonder what it is?'_ Vali thought as he put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Do not worry. Impressive he is, but if appear threatened he already wins."

Danuja whispered back, "Apologises Father. I just...I just can't believe there's another chakra user that we did not know about. And he appears to be quite skilled."

That was true. In the race alone, he's shown great strength and endurance. His chakra was powerful enough to tank several explosions and with his quirk he could possibly increase his strength to new heights.

"That may be the result of his teacher." Vali said. Danuja nodded and turned to the screen where Midoriya was trying to catch his breath.

He took a knee as everyone else came in. He turned to see Bakugou glaring daggers at him while Todoroki was doing the same. He internally shivered at the strength behind the stares when he saw Ochako and Iida running towards him.

"Deku!" He took a look at them and noticed how dirty they were. In fact most of the other students were covered in dirty and smoke. "You were amazing out there!"

He blushed lightly at her praise as she was excitingly telling him what she saw. "You were like a freaking comet. Or a shooting star!"

"Yes, much credit toward your victory Midoriya. You have incredible speed." He gestured, but Izuku felt something behind how he said "speed". Iida held his hand out and Midoriya gladly took it. Standing up, Midoriya saw the rest and saw Momo with Mineta running behind her before falling towards the ground. "Shall we greet our other friends?"

"Sure." Izuku jogged toward them and saw Mineta trying to catch his breath. "Momo, Mineta!"

"Izuku, congratulations!" She cheerfully said. Mineta shot a weak glare at him before face planting and fainting from exhaustion. "I never expected you to run through a minefield."

"Ah you know I tried something out." Izuku rubbed the back of his head. "Midori!"

He turned around and saw Mina running towards him. "You were awesome out there! Bakugou is totally steaming and I think Todoroki is close to freezing this entire place."

She ran up to him and gave him a big hug. Izuku's face turned bright red when she did. Momo's eye twitched and Ochako fists unconsciously clenched at the sight. Mina pulled back and saw the two glaring at her. Ashdio felt a pump of fear run through her, but she remembered how she felt after her little date with Izuku. Time to place her flag in this race.

The pink girl nuzzled her cheek against his. "M-Mina?! What're you doing?"

Ochako and Momo grabbed the pink girl by her shoulders and pulled her back. "Ashido. That's enough. Izuku is quite uncomfortable with this...action."

Ashido shrugged and backed off, but now the two girls were kind of annoyed. Before anything else could happen a loud horn went off. Midnight's whip cracked and everyone focused back on the sexy hero.

She stepped up on the stage and pulled out a microphone. "Alright! What an explosive first round! And what tremendous students we have. The next event will now involve the first 42 students!"

The board lit up and showed everyone's name. "Now for the second game! Let's go!"

Everyone looked at the screen as the game wheel was spinning. Faster and faster it spun until it began to slow down. It finally landed on the second game.

 _Ship to Ship Combat_

People felt some confusion run through the crowd. All the students were confused to when Midnight cracked her whip again.

"Well, well let's get the rules of this game out of the way! Inspired by the pirate boarding so many centuries ago, teams of max four people or less will control a boat and steal the point flags!" A visual display showed several cute chibi figures sailing through the area and boarding the boats. "Disqualifying factors would be the destruction of the ship or all of the crew in the water. Again as our selling point we offer free use of your quirks to its highest point! Speaking of which we'll distribute points by where you placed!"

The board began showing points from 42nd towards 1st. "Each place is worth five points. 42nd is worth five, 43rd is worth ten, so on and so forth.

' _Alright that should be simple enough. If my math is correct then my point should be 210-'_

"With the exception of first place! While it is great to be number one, one should always know that it paints a large target on your back! So that spot held by Izuku Midoriya is granted Ten Million Points!"

Midoriya felt all eyes on him as even his friends all looked at him like a prime piece of meat. Ten Million Points, an automatic winner to those left behind. He swallowed nervously as Midnight continued to explain everything.

Yet in this moment with eyes on him, Midoriya could only say one thing.

"God damn it."


	21. Chapter 21

Midoriya was swearing in his head as he was given his flag. A bold ten million stamp in the middle of it. He quickly took it and needed to assemble a team. One that could keep this flag safe until time ends. Looking around people were already forming groups.

' _Ah crap. I need to find my people fast! Ok who can I rely on?'_ He went through all his options and approached each one by close proximity.

"Sorry Midoriya." Ojiro said.

"I'd like to, but I can't." Sato responded.

Each rejection was weighing more and more when he saw Momo and Mina. The two were discussing something, but they didn't seem to have any partnered up. "Hey guys! Momo, Mina!"

They turned to him as Midoriya smiled brightly. "I'm so glad to see you two! I was wondering if we could team up. Mina?"

The pink girl was surprised before a look of guilt went on her face. "Oh about that Midori. I don't mean to be mean, but I can't join."

His jaw almost dropped when she said that. "The target on you is too big and I don't want to be caught up in that. Again I'm really sorry."

She honestly looked regretful when she saw his face and pulled him in for a hug. "But I think you'll be fine Midori."

The pink girl ran off and Midoriya sighed, but that's when he realized his second friend hasn't answered. He turned to her, hope in his eyes, but was visibly distraught when the shadows were covering her eyes. "Eh, Momo?"

"I must apologise as well Izuku." She started. His heart plummeted when she said that. "There's much I want to do and while I initially wanted to team up with you I already accepted another offer."

"Whose?!" She turned and saw Ochako, Todoroki, Kaminari, and Iida. However Ochako looked a bit pouty and shocked when looking at Iida. Todoroki stepped forward and glanced at Momo and Izuku. "Todoroki!"

"Yaoyorozu." He said. "Kaminari and Iida are joining us."

He looked at Midoriya. "Uraraka's been trying to convince Iida to join you, but has been unsuccessful. So I'm here to drop off your teammate."

Ochako rubbed the back of her head embarrassed as Iida turned to Midoriya. "Midoriya in any other circumstance I would be happy to join your team. You are a valued friend, but also a rival. You've had me beat since the training exercise regardless of the actual outcome. As I've told Uraraka, this will be the time we show we are here to the world."

' _Damn it. He used my words against me.'_ Midoriya said. Ochako moved to his side as Todoroki looked at his flag.

"Be ready to part with it when the game starts." He turned and left. Kaminari followed, Iida was next with a thumbs up at them, and Momo gave one solemn look at Izuku. He looked betrayed.

Before she left, Midoriya caught her attention. "Is what Iida said the same for you?"

Momo turned to Midoriya who's sad look hardened to a determined one. Not hurt by her "betrayal", she shook her head. His lips curled to the side. "Alright. Good luck."

They left him behind and Ochako stood next to Midoriya. "So what're we gonna do?"

He sighed and looked over the arena. Everyone was partnering up, even Mineta got partners in Tsu and Shoji. "I think-"

"Izuku Midoriya!" A slash of wind stopped right in front of him and Izuku found himself gazing into the crosshairs of one Mei Hatsume. "Hello my friend! I wish to use your position!"

"Hatsume?!"

"You...know this girl, Deku?" Ochako asked a little shaky.

Hatsume turned to Ochako and smirked. "Of course. I got to work on this guy's costume. It would be rude of any hero to receive my work and not know me! Speaking of which, Midoriya, I want to use your position."

"Yeah you said that already." He said. ' _And quite brutally honest if I say so myself.'_

Hatsume put on her goggles and pointed at her gadgets. "Of course. With all these points, the tech and hero companies will keep an eye on number one! So let me in! Come on, come on!"

Izuku put a hand on her head and pushed her back slightly as she was getting too close. Ochako was shaking a bit more although not from her presence, but from something deeper.

"Down girl!"

Hatsume pouted, admittingly adorably, and pointed at the her gadgets. "Oh come on. I've got lots of babies to share!"

' _Babies?!'_

Izuku scratched his head as Hatsume moved in closer. "And some of these babies were inspired by a few of those ideas you'd given me. See?"

She held up her arms and they noticed the gauntlets. Very pristine and looking very strong. She stretched her arm and showed him. Ochako and Izuku were very surprised by the craftsmanship on it.

"The grapple gauntlets? Oh my God those were just a few throw ideas I had! I can't believe you made them!" Izuku exclaimed.

"And since you technically gave me the idea, I guess this kind of makes you my baby daddy for this one."

"WHAT?!" Izuku blushed heavily as Ochako was getting very different images of her statement. Some people heard and gave questionable looks. The green boy reached out and pinched Hatsume's cheek. "You can join just don't say those things out loud!"

"Yes! And if we pass to the next round I'll give you these." She gestured at her gauntlets as she rubbed her cheek when he let go. "So is this our team?"

Izuku shook his head. "No. If we want to protect this flag we need a four man team. Now we just need our last member."

He scanned the crowd for any potential member and found his last one. He approached the student and put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey would you mind joining us?"

In the crowd Takahashi stood up. The teams were being assembled and he saw Izuku's. "Not bad kid."

Inko clutched her hands together as she watched everyone get ready. The teams got into position with a circle signifying where they stand. Izuku and his team stood in the middle of theirs when it lit up. He seemed to be telling them their main plan when the floor transformed and boat rose from underneath their feet.

Everyone had the same ordinary boat. A trawler. Everyone raised their flags. Most were white with their point numbers, but Izuku's team had a bright red flag making them stand out among the crowd.

Izuku grabbed the wheel as Mei, Ochako, and Tokoyami stood on the deck. Dark Shadow was cracking it's knuckles. "Alright the objective for us to protect our flag. Tokoyami will be our main defense with Dark Shadow. Ochako, you'll be assisting Mei in our main plan, and Mei you know what we need to do."

"Oh you're gonna how I'm gonna do that. Come on roundy let's go!" Ochako looked a bit taken back by the term when the inventor took her down. From below the deck, they could hear her excitement. "Ohohoho we got some good materials for your plan Ten Million!"

Izuku just sighed in relief when Midnight cracked her whip.

"LET THE GAMES BEGIN!"

The sides of the arena opened up and began to flood. Water poured in and filled it up. The boats began to float up and soon the entire place looked like a shimmering lake. Rocks spiked out of the watery surface to create new obstacles.

Takahashi raised an eyebrow at the display. "Fascinating."

Everyone hit their pedals and the boats began to tear through the water. The arena lit up with many ranged quirks being used. Deku sailed the boat around most of the competitors. A bunch of boats were around them, but Dark Shadow was doing his best.

"Midoriya!" Tokoyami shouted.

Deku saw a boat coming towards them, one of their frontmen stepped up with his palm aimed toward them. He swerved around and aimed back at them.

"Delaware Smash!" A loud flick from his fingers sends a shockwave rocking them. "Mei! How's it going?"

"Working on it!"

"Deku, will this really work?" Ochako shouted back.

"Focus on what Mei needs! Once she's done get ready to hop and deck to use your quirk!" Deku shouted. Tokoyami gritted his teeth as Dark Shadow had to smack away a few more projectiles.

"What the sticky balls?" Tokoyami questioned. Deku turned to him and saw the signature nature of that quirk.

"Prepare to be boarded Midoriya!"

Sensing danger, Deku tackled Tokoyami down as a boat hit their side. Mei and Ochako were caught off guard and fell on top of each other. The brunette rubbed the back of her head when she felt a finger tap her skull.

"Care to get off? I got work." Mei said. The two were in a somewhat compromising position and she quickly bounced off. "Good. Trust me I understand being close, but we save those times for measurements like costumes. Ten Million understands that."

"Wh-What are you s-saying?"

"Pass the wrench!" Ochako was too shocked by the news and just robotically gave it to her. "Thank you. Now if only they could keep the boat from rocking more."

Deku jumped back as Shoji was closing in on him. His multiple limbs were putting him through his paces. "RAH!"

The punch was blocked and Shoji only budged back a little. Deku looked at him surprised. ' _A 10 percent Detroit Smash and he only budged a little. I'm holding back to not hurt him yet I may have underestimated his strength. He may have endurance and better senses, but how well can he do it when up it to fifteen percent!'_

Tokoyami jumped back as Tsuyu and Mineta were working together. He dodged Mineta's attacks while using Dark Shadow to keep Tsu's tongue away. "We got this Asui!"

"Focus or else he'll get us!" Tsu shouted as Mineta got a few more balls ready.

"Please I'm read-" Dark Shadow rushed him and landed several hits that landed him back on his boat. "Damn it."

Tokoyami let out a small sigh of relief. Mineta's quirk was a useful trap and with Tsuyu it would be easy for him to be captured. He heard a crack and saw Shoji tanking several more hits from Deku.

"Damn you are tough." Deku complimented.

"Thanks Midoriya. So are you." The tentacled student replied back. Before he could take another step forward, one of his limbs sensed danger as he brought up his hand to catch Dark Shadow's fist.

"Midoriya, switch." The green boy nodded and turned to Tsu. The girl croaked and got into a ready stance. Deku punched his palm as he pulled back to ten percent.

From a distance Neito Monoma, a class 1-B student, chuckled darkly. "Look at those foolish class 1-A students. Fighting amongst themselves. They must think they're hot shit that the only ones they really want to fight are themselves."

"Uh, Monoma?" The blonde turned and saw Bakugou shooting him death glares.

"Why are talking like some of us aren't here to kick your ass?!" Monoma shook his head and gestured at Deku and Todoroki's boat.

"Because the only worthwhile ones are over there."

That actually set everyone else off as Mina pouted. "Hey we're not a bunch of extras! Right, Bakugou?"

"Shut it Racoon eyes! Let's focus on beating these guy's asses!" Bakugou shouted as he pressed the pedal down.

Meanwhile Deku was dealing with Tsu as Tokoyami took on Shoji. Her tongue wrapped around his ankle and pulled him in. "Whoa!"

She lifted her leg high before slamming it down. Deku brought his arms up to block it then trip her. She grunted as he got back on his feet. He aimed his fingers and got ready to flick. "Kero!"

When he stepped forward, he felt something squishy on his foot. Looking down, Deku saw a purple ball and Mineta with a smug look. "Tsu bring him to the water."

"Good idea!" She wrapped her tongue around Deku's waist and pulled him off. His shoe was the only thing left behind when Tsu brought him into the water.

' _Holy shit! Did Mineta actually catch me off guard with Tsu?'_ Deku thought as he was dragged into the water. ' _And with this watery terrain, Tsu definitely has the advantage in attacking me.'_

She held onto him tightly. Not to drown him, but to keep him down long enough for them to get the flag. Mineta was on his way to the flag pole while Tokoyami was busy with Shoji. "I got it. I got it!"

Deku could sense where he was and wretched his arms free. Tsu tried to hold him down when she felt something warm, bubbling between them. Deku powered up and his green aura lit up the dark blue area. Tsu was caught off guard by it and was especially taken back by Deku looked in the shining light.

He kicked himself up and jumped through the water. He gasped for air when he aimed his finger at Mineta. Everything moved in slow-mo as Tsu's tongue broke through the surface while Mineta's finger grazed the flag.

' _Chakra Style: Finger Bullet!'_ Izuku screamed in his head as he fired a precise shot at Mineta. It knocked him back when Deku felt the tongue wrap around his leg. He yanked his leg up and pulled Tsu out. She croaked in surprise when he grabbed her. They felt gravity pull them down, but he angled them just right to land back on deck.

He twisted his body over to take most of the impact but threw Tsu off when they landed. "Kero!"

Mineta rubbed his head in confusion when he looked up. Deku stood in front of them when they heard a loud smack. Shoji was knocked back onto their boat with Tokoyami and Dark Shadow a little winded.

"Not bad." He turned over to Midoriya and saw him with the other two.

Tsu leaned over to Mineta. "Let's cut our losses and get out of here."

"Aw man but we were so close!" She rolled her eyes and picked him up. She hopped over Deku and Tokoyami, landing on the boat with Mineta in tow. "You win this round Midoriya, but I'll get you back."

"Right...but first get your flag back." Deku said as he got on the helm. Tsu and Mineta were confused when they looked up and saw their was missing! They knew neither Midoriya or Tokoyami took it as they were fighting them, but that would mean…

"Damn look at that. One of the people from 1-B took it." One of Shoji's mouths said. Mineta's jaw dropped as he saw Ibara taking it away.

"And it's a babe as well." He bemoaned. Tsu shook her head.

Back with Deku and Tokoyami, they were catching their breath from their latest fight. Deku grabbed his shoe from where Mineta stuck it and tied it together before reaching the helm. "Geez that was a lot tougher than I thought."

"Yes it was, but we successfully managed to evade our flag's capture. Let us enjoy this small victory. The two stood in silence when they heard a yell.

"Midoriya!" A voice called out. He and Tokoyami turned to the voice to see two giant hands. Itsuka Kendou! She smirked and clapped them together. A shockwave rocked the boat and Mei and Ochako fell over again. It was another compromising position.

Ochako hopped off in shock and stammered apologises while Mei glared up deck.

"HEY! Keep them off if you want my baby to work!" Mei shouted. Deku turned to them and saw Kendou coming right at him.

"Tokoyami!"

"Dark Shadow!" The raven head shouted. The shadow creature moved behind the wheel to keep them going when Kendou's boat was making another turn. The red head smirked and got ready to land a punch to their hull. Deku pulled back his fist.

"RAH!" The two class representatives yelled when a small shockwave exploded between them. It knocked her back while Deku got up.

Kendou hissed in pain when she sat up. "Kendou!"

"I'm fine Tokage. He packs a bigger punch than I expected." Her hand shrunk down to its normal size and she saw her middle finger was heavily bruised. "We'll work on-"

A loud groan of metal caught their attention when they saw a hole in their boat. It wasn't down below where water could leak in but it still made a clean exit through. "What?"

Then a large body of ice hit them. Kendou was caught off guard when she heard a rip. Looking up, their flag was being taken away. And the boat carrying Team Todoroki made off with the flag.

"Hey get back here!" Kendou shouted. Deku noticed how quick and precise Todoroki was and saw their aim towards him.

"That's going to be my flag Midoriya." Todoroki said as he steered the boat towards them. "We're going to ram them. Iida prepare to board."

"Got it!"

Momo and Kaminari braced themselves as Todoroki pressed down on the pedal. Tokoyami grunted as he saw what they were going for. "Midoriya if they hit us then Todoroki's going to tear us in half."

The green boy looked at the approaching boat. He flexed his fingers when he turned to Tokoyami. "Be ready to reel me back in. I need to reach some air."

"Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami and him switched places when Deku ran to Dark Shadow. The quirk grabbed onto his jacket when he jumped in the air with One for All. He flipped several times in row when he was close enough.

"Huh?!" Iida gasped when Deku aimed his fingers.

" _Delaware Smash 30%!"_ He flicked his fingers and created a small water vortex. Todoroki was forced to turn away from them when Deku was falling. Dark Shadow yanked hard and pulled him back. The green boy landed back on deck with numb fingers. "Aw shit. Thirty percent...that's my current limit with physical drawbacks. Twenty five is my highest output without straining too hard. Which means my final technique…"

He was interrupted when Mei called out to him. "Oh captain, my captain! We have all preparations ready."

"R-Really?" Deku asked. He looked below deck and saw Ochako covered in soot and oil. She nodded robotically. Most likely a result of seeing how the inventor worked. "Great. Ochako now's your part!"

"R-right!" She stammered. "I'm on it Deku!"

Ochako ran onto the deck and slammed both of her palms on the ground. The entire boat shook.

' _Heh if this works then we'll face less obstacles. Running away is impossible with some quirks giving others the advantage in the environment. So unconventional ideas were needed. And right now I have the perfect people to execute it.'_ Slowly they began to rise higher and higher when Mei came out with a trigger. She gleefully pressed down when parts of the boat opened up. Several parts of her jet pack and boots was sticking out of the sides.

"OH MY! IT LOOKS LIKE MIDORIYA AND HIS TEAM HAVE FOUND A WAY TO STAY SAFE! AMONGST THE DEADLY WATER THEY TAKE REFUGE IN THE SKY!"

"Thanks for the play by play, Mic."

Takahashi's eyes for a split second bugged out as he witnessed that. He chuckled to himself and lowered the brim of his hat to cover his expression. "Good freaking grief kid. You're quite the out of the box thinker aren't you."

"Holy shit Inko! How's that possible?! Damn Izuku's getting too good!" She wasn't the only blonde to notice it. Bakugou was dealing with someone else at the moment, but even they were caught off by Izuku's plan. To fly above the boats.

Todoroki clenched his fists as he watched them soar. Momo was looking up, but was caught off guard by it. She broke out a small smile when she turned to Todoroki. "Hey!"

"Yaoyorozu?"

She took off her jacket and was just wearing her sports bra. He turned away with a slight blush, but saw her concentrating from the corner of his eye. Her back produced a new weapon. A weapon perfect to deal with Izuku.

"I have a plan. One that can work but it needs everyone." Todoroki nodded as Iida and Kaminari walked up. "So listen up you guys."

"We will listen!" Iida said while Denki tried to control his own urges at seeing the ebony haired beauty.

Deku put his hands up when Mei came out of the boat excitingly. "Yay! It works that glorious plan of yours worked with the help from my babies! Momma's so proud!"

"Don't celebrate just yet. We're not out of the woodworks yet. Those thrusters capable of maintain our weight?"

"I dunno. Is it easy to calibrate the amount of thrusting power needed for this seven ton boat with the proper equipment?" They just gave a confused look, but she kept her bright smile while giving them a big thumbs up. "Of course Ten Million! This baby's gonna fly!"

"Ok. Ochako release." Deku ordered. She nodded and did so.

"With a thirty five percent chance of it blowing up." Mei quickly added before getting behind the wheel. The three looked at her with absolute terror in her eyes as the trawler lurched. They shut their eyes tightly when it continued to stay above. "See. We're in the sixty five percent."

"C-Crazy woman." Tokoyami stammered as he relaxed a little.

"You mean to tell me we could've been blown up!" Deku shouted.

"Oh please you should you know the answer to that." His eye twitched when he remember how they first met. "Anyways all eyes are on us! Everyone is watching!"

They looked over the railing and saw they were a good height above everyone else. They weren't above the arena, but high enough to make everyone else seem like ants. Mei was chuckling happily at the results.

Deku just sighed and walked up to the helm with her. "Well good job."

"Thanks! Honestly I think if we pass this then I'll just give the gauntlets right after this event. I mean they are our babies." She gave him a weird side eye. Kind of seductive or at least teasing.

Tokoyami, Dark Shadow, and Ochako were watching. The first two didn't look too bothered as they were also keeping an eye against any bogeys that would follow them. Ochako looked at the two and felt a pang in her chest. Similar to what she felt when Mina and Momo were getting closer.

" **That's sweet."**

"Focus Dark Shadow." Tokoyami ordered when an arrow hit their boat. "What the-!"

Deku turned to the sound and saw a long arrow had stuck to their hull. A few inches away from one of their thrusters. "Mei! Evasive maneuvers! Everyone else hold on!"

Ochako and Tokoyami nodded and held onto the railing. Another thunk hit them and Midoriya turned to look for the source. At a small distance he could see the source. Momo was the shooter with a sheet covering something next to her.

She had a long crossbow in her hands with a scope to help her aim. The girl aimed at the thruster and exhaled. Another bolt left the weapon and cut through the air. It approached closer and closer when a loud snap was heard.

Deku hanging off the side with his fist outstretched. "Damn she's a good shot. Mei get us out of here now! Momo's gonna hit the thrusters if we're not careful!"

"On it!"

As they tried flying away, a bright light caught their attention. Izuku turned to the side and his pupils shrunk in shock as he saw what Todoroki's crew had ready. Momo was standing next to a very sleek cannon with a futuristic touch.

"Holy shit." He commented as he saw Kaminari was charging it up, only it wasn't overwhelming him. "Mei, we need to move now!"

"This is amazing! I don't even feel my brain overcharging!"

"You're charging it from your palms. And you charge fast enough to where it doesn't put strain on your brain." Momo explained with tired breath.

Momo was catching her breath when she nodded at Iida and Todoroki. They gave her a thumbs up and disappeared out of her sight. She turned back to Midoriya's ship. The girl could see him on deck looking right at her.

' _Izuku. You are my friend and maybe something even more to me, but every since starting U.A I've noticed something.'_

Images of the USJ and all their other class activities flashed in her mind. Every conversation, every bit of warmth from their friendship it all brought a smile to her face. Yet when she replays the last two weeks, it weakens her smile.

' _You're amazing. You're so much stronger than most of us could even hope for.'_ That weird transformation flashed in her head. How it matched someone that was meant to fight and kill All Might. ' _But that doesn't mean you're invincible. I realized that when I held you! I might not be able to save you, you never need my help, but that doesn't mean I can't stand by your side. And the best way I can think of doing so is to prove myself against you!'_

She aimed the cannon and remembered all the research she did for these new weapons. All new structures, all kinds of calories sacrificed, and all the sleepless nights it all led up to this.

"FIRE!" She shouted. Kaminari pulled the trigger and the barrel fired a yellow beam at them. Mei couldn't do anything as it approached.

"Gimme a break!" Midoriya powered up and charged an energy beam when it got close. "DEVASTATION BEAM!"

The two beams collided and formed a bright core in the middle. Kaminari was pumping all his power as Izuku tried to maintain their position. Momo kept squeezing the trigger when she saw Todoroki and Iida.

Tokoyami pulled away Dark Shadow as Mei and Ochako took cover. Izuku kept the beam struggle up for another few seconds when Momo let go of the trigger. The beam between them dissipated. Deku fell back as it took a considerable amount of power to keep it away.

"Deku!"

"Are you alright Midoriya?" They went to go help them up when Mei screamed in surprise. The boat rocked violently when they saw a giant iceberg right in front of them. She turned the boat and slammed it portside.

"What the hell?!" Deku shouted when he saw Iida and Todoroki above them. "Tokoyami!"

"Dark Shadow!" He shouted, but when it came out it appeared a little weak. "Oh no. That beam struggle was too bright. He's been weakened by it!"

" _ **Violence isn't a true answer."**_ He muttered.

Iida stood above them when he got into a ready running position. "Good he's down and Yaoyorozu weakened Midoriya. Now he may be fast, but I am related to the Inginedium."

His engines fired up and fired blue light from its pipes. " _Recipro BURST!"_

Iida zoomed across the deck and up to the mast. With a quick yank, Iida held the red flag in his hand. "I got it!"

"Damn it!" Deku's crew yelled out when Todoroki created an ice path along Iida. He jumped off it and faced them with his right hand aimed right at them. Everything went slow from his perspective. Deku's face was slowly shifting to shock when he realized what it was.

"I warned you, Midoriya." He muttered when he unleashed an icy torrent. Deku unleashed his aura when the boat was put within its icy prison. They two fell back to the water when Todoroki created another ice path. Iida landed on it and slid across when Momo brought the boat closer.

"HOLY CRAP! TEAM TODOROKI HAS TAKEN FIRST PLACE AND MADE TEAM MIDORIYA A FROZEN POPSICLE!"

Inko and Mitsuki's jaws were on the floor while Takahashi was very surprised by the maneuver. "Not bad. A good diversion weakening their big gun and taking them by surprise. Heh I didn't even think Todoroki could make such an huge iceberg."

"Izuku!" Inko shouted.

On the inside Midoriya and the others were stuck. Despite Todoroki freezing them, he left enough room for them to breathe until after the match. Ochako was holding up Izuku while everyone else was shivering. "T-Tokoyami!"

"I can't move. Dark Shadow can't either since that beam struggle severely weakened him with the light."

"Mei!"

"C-Can't do much right now. I-I-It's too cold for my gears to run." Izuku just glanced at Ochako and saw she was squeezing her eyes shut.

"S-Sorry Deku. We lost." She whispered.

He stood completely dumbfounded by that. It was his fault. He fell for Momo's trap and let everyone else down. Every bit of his energy was being slowly drained as the cold was weakening them all. Tokoyami was falling unconscious while Mei tried to breathe a little easier. Ochako stopped talking and let the cold bring her down.

Midoriya felt the same thing crawl over his body when he felt something else besides guilt and defeat. Anger. Rage.

' _No...NO! Th-They put their trust in me. They agreed to help me! And I refuse to let them down. Todoroki!'_ Deku felt his fingers twitch as he tried to summon whatever power he could. Ochako slowly opened her eyes when she felt something warm against her hands. Seeing Deku's eyes that were closed but yet intensely focused.

The ice around them began to melt as his aura poured out of him. But instead of bursting into its signature flame pattern, it poured through the cracks toward each of his friends. It made contact with all of them and they could feel warmth spread through their bodies.

Deku kept it going until enough of the ice melted away for him to get some room. Ochako and him were free when she saw the aura return to its original state. Mei and Tokoyami found enough strength to break free when they noticed it too.

"Deku?" She questioned when she saw his face.

It was contorted into a ball of determination and rage. He pulled back his fist and aimed it right at the thickest part of the ice.

"ORA!" He shouted like a barbarian when he punched the wall. A split second passed when the ice cracked and Deku smiled.


	22. Chapter 22

Todoroki and Iida returned to the boat with Momo sitting down. She was a little shaky with Kaminari holding her up.

"That was a good plan Yaoyorozu." Iida commented. She nodded as Todoroki boarded last. He walked up to their flag pole and was about to raise it. The cameras focused on them when everyone heard a boom.

When Todoroki and the others looked up from their boat the iceberg was shaking. Momo looked up and gave an exasperated sigh with a smile. "Of course it wouldn't be that easy. Todoroki, give me the flag."

Todoroki nodded before his eyes narrowed when a big section of the iceberg exploded. A green light shined through as Deku's fists pointed out. His fierce expression looked at the rest of the iceberg when he turned to the side and began destroying the rest of the iceberg.

"OH MY GOD! IZUKU MIDORIYA IS TOTALLY WRECKING THAT ICEBERG!"

Deku was letting out so many battle cries as the ice fell to the water. Yet slowly but surely the boat trapped within the iceberg was revealed. Inside three figures were covered in green light. Tokoyami, Mei, and Ochako didn't see it when it all sunk into their skin. Even if they didn't realize it, they could feel it coursing through them.

When enough of ice was broken, Deku dove to the last bit of the iceberg and gestured at Tokoyami.

"Dark Shadow!" The creature from within him sprung forth and joined Deku. They both planted themselves between the boat and ice. Straining hard, the two finally pushed the boat free when Ochako put her hands on the deck, her hands sparked up as she made it float.

She nodded at Mei and she pressed a button. The thrusters activated and Dark Shadow kept them grounded. The boat stabilized at it was back in the fight.

"And here we go!" She shouted. Mei, Tokoyami, and her held on as the boat was finally freed. Chunks of ice fell on the deck and Ochako got an idea. "Deku!"

He climbed up and saw her making several ice chunks floating around her. He smirked at her idea.

Todoroki and the many other competitors had their eyes wide open. "You've got to be kidding me. Midoriya, how stubborn are you."

"Are you surprised?" Momo asked Iida.

"Nope." He smiled as he saw the boat begin to fly around. They chuckled when they saw something approaching. Approaching fast. "Incoming!"

A large chunk of ice made a huge splash next to them. "What the-" Another was fired from there and broke the cannon Momo created. Three more shots rained down when Todoroki summoned a wall of ice to protect them.

"You stubborn bastard."

Above them, Deku jumped up and spin kicked the last chunk of ice. Crashing into the wall. Temporary as it was their cannonballs worked. "Hatsume, Tokoyami bring us closer!"

"Okie-dokie!" She was at the helm and pressed the button. The thrusters attached to the boat started and Dark Shadow titled the boat to aim at Todoroki's vehicle. Deku landed and patted Ochako on the shoulder.

"Thanks for the ammo Ochako."

"You're welcome. Now what's the next plan?" Deku looked at the boat and saw Todoroki, Momo, Iida, and Kaminari scrambling around to move. Their comeback was something they didn't fully plan for. "Deku?"

"We'll board them. Tokoyami and I will board while you and Mei keep the boat ready for escape." He said. Ochako was good and there was no doubt if things were slightly different she would join us, but they need to keep the boat ready.

"You sure?"

"We need those points. Right now we're at the five minute mark. It's now or never. Tokoyami!"

"I heard."

Mei halted their progress and waved at them. "Hey Midoriya! Catch!"

She tossed him two things. He caught them and saw they were gauntlets. Her gauntlets. "Hatsume?"

"I was working on something for you when I made these babies! There's a button and hook. Place them between two points and create a zipline!" Deku saw how it worked and hooked it to the railing. Focusing his chakra to his eyes, his aim increased to see the railing on Todoroki's boat.

Pressing the button, a large hook fired from the gauntlet and stuck to their boat. Momo noticed as Tokoyami and Deku held on to each other. They gave the girls a thumbs up when Dark Shadow hooked around it. Leaping off, the ziplined down to the boat.

"Damn it. Yaoyorozu, cut the line now!" Momo nodded and created a sword. She prepared to swing when Deku jumped off of Tokoyami. He dove down and tackled the rich girl down. They rolled around when Deku was looking down at her.

"Momo."

"Izuku." She had a small blush on her face, but brushed it off. Pushing him off, Momo created another sword and a shield. Kaminari ran to her side when Tokoyami jumped on him. Iida tried to rush him when Dark Shadow tripped him.

Todoroki growled as he got his right side ready. Deku got into a fighting stance and just before everyone could start, another boat rammed into them.

"What?!" Todoroki and Izuku said together!

"I got you bastards now!" Bakugou screamed from behind the wheel. "Take Icy-Hots flag!"

Todoroki growled and saw other boats making a beeline for him. He went over to the side and created an ice barrier. Now they were sealed off from everyone else. The only people there were now Midoriya, Todoroki, and Bakugou's crew.

Kirishima, Sero, and Mina nodded and boarded as well. That's when all hell broke loose. Deku rushed Momo and kicked her away. Dark Shadow returned to Tokoyami's side and threw a few punches at the charging Iida and an electrically charged Kaminari.

Bakugou gave an evil grin as he hopped onto the deck and saw the ten million point flag. Before he could grab it, a spiky ice wall blocked him. Todoroki stood there with his arms crossed.

"This again?" He muttered. Bakugou punched his palm with a smoky explosion.

"Oh I'm gonna enjoy this." Round two between them began.

Deku was trying to get across, but came across Sero. He was bound him by tape and held him still. "Nice try Midoriya, but you won't get past me! Kirishima, Mina!"

The red head and the pinkette jumped him and Deku's eyes widened. Before their attacks could land, Deku flexed his power.

"RAH!" He screamed and broke through the tape with his aura. The wind pressure threw the two off as Deku aimed a finger at Sero. A green blast hit him in the chest. The tape user lost his breath when he fell to the ground.

"Not bad Midoriya!" Kirishima said as he came in with a hard punch. Deku turned to Full Cowling and caught his fist. A small shockwave boomed between them as Kirishima pushed on. "Let's make this real awesome."

"Of course." Deku pulled Kirishima in and elbowed his center. His durability dulled the attack, but that wasn't it. The green haired teen brought up his fist and hit him in the face with the back of his hand. The red head stumbled back when Deku charged his fists to 10%.

"Detroit Barrage!" He shouted as he unleashed a rapid fire combo of hard jabs to Kirishima. He stumbled back at little when Deku did another spin heel kick. It sent the red head overboard.

Taking a moment to breath, Deku looked at his knuckles. Slightly scratched up. "I knew his quirk was durable, but-"

He stopped when he sensed someone behind him. He ducked as Mina tried kicking him in the back of the head. "Mina?!"

She sneered and got ready. Deku got ready when he sensed another danger. Focusing power to his legs, he back flipped over a sweeping sword attack and landed behind Momo. She was back and ready to fight.

"Oh Yaomomo! That was so cool!" Mina said. "Say we both know Midori's got some moves. What'd you say we team up on this one?"

Momo's gaze didn't leave Izuku, but she readied her blade. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend right?"

"Oh come on!" Deku cried out when Mina walked up to Momo's side. "If that's how it's going to be. Then bring it, but just know you're breaking my heart."

The two girls flinched at that but noticed the tiny smile. They charged as Deku prepared himself. Up above Ochako was watching. Initially she wasn't worried, but now with Bakugou's crew it was completely different. "Hey Hatsume. I need your help."

"Really?"

Deku jumped back as Momo kept up with him while Mina was forcing him to move even more. He tried striking back, but he couldn't.

' _These two. Momo's blade is keeping me from attacking adding in Mina's reflexes. If I'm not careful they'll outpace me!'_ Deku thought. That's when Mina swept him off his feet. "SHIT!"

Momo moved above him and aimed the butt of her hilt down when something fell on her. "Not today Yaoyorozu!"

"Ochako?!" The three shouted. The girl had just jumped off the flying ship and tackled the rich girl. Then with a click of her heels, they noticed the metallic boots she was wearing. The jets popped out of the bottom of them and took them away.

"What the-"

"Get the flag Deku!" Ochako yelled as she took her away. Mina was taken off guard when she turned and saw Deku hop onto his feet. He turned to her with a serious glare. Mina sweated a little as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Sooo...we're still friends right?"

"Depends on how hard you hit me." He walked towards her and noticed how she was getting a little nervous at his approach. "Ready?"

"I dunno." She aimed her hand at him and squirted a jet of acid. He spun out of the way and watched it melt the deck. He charged right at her and threw a right punch. Mina was nimble enough however to dodge a few of his attacks.

Meanwhile Ochako was trying her best to hold back Momo. Despite catching her off guard, the regal girl managed to maintain her composure. Summoning a wooden sword this time, Momo was quick and precise. Landing a few blows to Ochako's hands whenever they tried to make contact with her.

"You really think you can take me Ochako?" Not to sound arrogant, but to truly gauge their abilities. The brunette nodded and leapt forward. She pressed a button and the jet pack flared increasing her speed tenfold. She tackled Momo again and the two were in a tangle.

Yet all Ochako needed to do was touch her. Momo was shocked when she saw the signature pink shine over her skin. The sign that Ochako has made contact to a weightless object. She felt herself float and Ochako pushed her off the deck and floating in the air.

"Uraraka!" Momo shouted when Ochako smirked.

"Sorry, but Deku needs to get that flag and with how you got us last time, it's easy to tell you're the bigger threat. Release!" Momo barely heard that was caught off guard by the admission when she felt into the cool depth of water.

Ochako let out a small sigh as she turned to the others. Kaminari, Iida, and Tokoyami were fighting. Kirishima and Momo were out of bounds and Mina was fighting Deku. With Bakugou and Todoroki doing battle that only left…!

Tape wrapped around her and Ochako was pulled back. Sero smirked as he caught her. "You were pretty awesome out there stopping Yaoyorozu, but don't think that ends things here."

She was yanked back and slowly being rolled up. Her arms was binded up while Sero continued to trap her.

Deku rolled away from a spin kick when he saw Sero trapping Ochako. "Damn!"

Mina came in, sliding on her acid, with excitement in her eyes. She saw the perfect opportunity. He jumped back at bit more as she used her acid to slide across the deck. "Take this Midori!"

He saw her hand and he could see the acid spewing from her fingertips. Reaching out he grabbed her wrist and aimed it at the tape. It hissed and melted the tape away. Sero was shocked at this as Deku grappled Mina and took her to the floor. Ochako busted free and turned to Sero.

"Uh...sorry?" She sneered and activated her jetpack. Seor flinched when she tackled him. Turning over, she planted her feet against his chest and pushed him down to the lower deck. His back cracked against the floor and Sero laid still on the floor.

"Ow." He muttered.

Deku pinned Mina down as he turned to Ochako. "Help Tokoyami!"

"Got it Deku!"

Mina turned to him and forced a smile on her lips. "You must feel real proud of yourself Midori."

"Hm?"

She gestured at their position and Deku needed a second to scan it. He was pressing her stomach on the floor. Leaned over her, in a different lense it would a highly intimate position. Deku's cheeks turned bright red when he did at hopped off.

"AHH!"

Mina got up and cheered. "Well, well Midori it looks like-"

"KYAAH! I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT THAT YOU PERV!" That reaction was so unexpected that Mina didn't fully register that he pushed her down below deck and having her land right on Sero.

"OW! What the hell!"

Mina wasn't paying attention as she finally got what he said. Her expression was pure shock when she got up and pouted angrily. "I-I'm not a perv! You're the perv Midori for thinking I am!"

"Why are saying that?" Sero groaned. Mina rolled off him, but she was trying to justify if she was a perv for pointing that out.

On the main deck, Deku got up and turned to see two explosions. One of smoke and heat and one of ice and mist. Shaking his head of what just transpired with Mina, Deku's body began to glow with volcanic pink veins.

Todoroki dodged another explosion from Bakugou and fired off another blast of ice. The two have only landed a few real hits, but they were evenly matched with their area being limited. What they didn't see was a pink and green streak coming towards them.

Bakugou prepared another explosion for the bi-colored teen when he felt a foot hit his cheek. He could barely see Deku being the one to kick him. He sent him into the railing and knocked him down.

Mitsuki got a little pissed. "HEY! NO CHEAP SHOTS! Inko tell him!"

Takahashi and Inko looked at her awkwardly as she was getting to into it.

Todoroki swiped his arm at Deku, but the teen jumped into the air. Spinning around, he aimed his fingers at him and flicked. An air bullet hit Todoroki on the side and he was caught off guard by the pain. Deku landed on the ground and charge to his left side.

' _He's keeping to my left! He's going to hit me!'_ Todoroki instinctively raised his left arm and flames began to sprout. Deku's eyes widened at it before summoning One for All to his right. The two came close to clash when Deku swept his arm to the right and extinguished the flames.

Todoroki was stunned by that when he felt a hard fist punch his gut. A small bit of spit escaped his lips as Deku buried his left fist deeper into his center. Taking advantage of his stunned state, he brought his right hand up and chopped at his shoulder. It brought Todoroki to his knees.

The green haired teen kicked him away and saw the bright red flag. His flag. He reached for it when a knee hit him hard in the face.

"DEKU!" Bakugou screeched as he then flipped over Deku and grabbed him by the collar. With his momentum, he flipped Deku over and slammed him into the ground. "This is my flag you piece of shit!"

The blonde reached for the flag when Todoroki blocked the flag. "Stop Bakugou. You can't win."

"What?!" He glared at the ice user when he felt a hand grab his shoulder. He turned and saw Deku before his fist knocked him back. That sent the blonde crashing through the ice wall. Todoroki and Deku stared each other down when the green haired teen dashed through the opening.

"Get back here!" Todoroki screamed as he followed. When he entered, he saw Bakugou on one side and Deku on the other. The red flag stood between all of them yet despite the battle raging on around them, the three circled around each other.

None made a direct move when Izuku cracked his knuckles. Bakugou's hands began to spark and Todoroki's right side began to freeze over.

Takahashi looked at his watch and saw it was 11:59. One minute left till noon and the end of the match.

"HOLY CRAP WE'RE IN THE ENDGAME NOW! WHO WILL WIN THIS ROUND IN THE NEXT MINUTE?"

' _One minute.'_ Deku thought as he rushed over to flag. Everything was slowing down to a snail's pace as those three took their first steps toward the flag. ' _One minute!'_

Pink lightning enveloped wrapped around his limbs and he jumped forward. Todoroki and Bakugou launched themselves and it was a confusing ball of heat, cold, and electricity when they came together.

Bakugou and Todoroki both took a fist and foot to the face as Deku powered himself up to 30%! The two flew back as Deku grabbed the flag.

"Ochako, Tokoyami! We've gotta get out of here!" He screamed.

"Deku!"

"Midoriya!"

The two stumbled back to their feet as the green haired hero jumped down. His muscles were burning as he kept the 30% limit up. Tokoyami and Ochako saw him coming right towards them.

Kaminari got up and rubbed his head where Dark Shadow struck when Bakugou turned to him. "Pikachu, fry their asses! Make sure they don't get back to their damn dingy!"

"Fine!" Yellow lightning surrounded him as he shouted. "ONE MILLION VOLTS!"

Deku and Ochako braced themselves, but Tokoyami stood in front of him. "DARK SHADOW!"

The creature stretched himself out and when it hit it, a bright green light erupted between them on contact. Yet Dark Shadow didn't recede. It pressed on and almost everyone else was hit.

Mina, Sero, and Iida were shocked by the attack while Bakugou launched himself in the air and Todoroki covered himself. When it died down, Kaminari was reduced to being a dunce. Dark Shadow retreated back, but not before snatching something, as Deku led them to the zipline Mei's gauntlet made.

"Hatsume!"

The pink haired inventor saw her allies clinging to the cable and pressed a button. It detached from the boat and pulled them up. They were flung into the air while Todoroki looked in complete disbelief.

They all made it on top when Present Mic shouted, "AND THAT'S ALL! SECOND ROUND COMPLETE!"

The horns went off as everyone looked at Midnight. She stood atop the podium with the scoreboard showing all the points each team has culminated.

"Alright as everyone is aware, these are your points. Take a good look at them!"

Mei looked over before she turned a little blue upon looking at the result. Izuku looked confused as he saw her expression when she saw her look back it and the flag they brought back.

"Mei, what's wrong?"

"L-Look at the ten million point flag." Izuku gave a confused look at her while Tokoyami and Ochako were lowering the boat back to the water. As he took a closer look at the flag, his heart dropped to the floor.

The red ten million flag looked similar, but there was one difference. There was medium sized Y/M stitched in with a slightly different shade of red. Momo made a false flag!

The two looked at their competitors to see Todoroki holding the flag up. The tiniest of smirks was on his face when he saw their expression. Momo herself looked very proud of it despite being soaked.

"Deku?" Ochako asked as she saw the boy fall to his knees in comical despair. "What's wrong?"

"She played us like a damn fiddle. She knew we would do anything to get back the flag and probably made one before we broke free." He was conflicted. On one side, he was incredibly impressed by such a trick and how he and everyone else fell for it. On the other he was disappointed since he did fall for it and failed.

"Team's Todoroki, Bakugou, Shinso, and Midoriya enter the next round!"

"WHAT?!" Midoriya shouted as he looked at the scoreboard and saw their points riding the very end of fourth place.

As he wallowed for a few seconds more in his relief when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Midoriya."

"Hey Tokoyami. I got to apologize guys for losing the top spot, but I don't understand how did we-" He was stopped when Tokoyami dropped a couple flags to his feet. "Wh-wha-?"

He looked at Tokoyami before he embraced the bird boy in a tight embrace. Tokoyami was shocked to say the least as Izuku swung him around. "You're the best guy ever! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Tokoyami signalled to be put down when Mei turned to Ochako with clarity in her eyes.

"Oh that explains the other points." Ochako was surprised, but not as much as Midoriya.

"Other points?!" Izuku turned to Mei shocked. She shrugged her shoulders and looked to side.

"Oh yeah, I saw that we had other points, but forgot to tell you." She chuckled, but not for long as Midoriya pinched her cheeks again only slightly more forceful. "Owowowowowow!"

"You have a real tendency to try giving me a damn heart attack!"

"Sorry, sorry!" She laughed. "As compensation for getting us to the next round oh great captain, I humbly offer those neat little gauntlets for your costume."

Midoriya groaned as he let go of her. They were useful and he could use something like that in the future. "Sure. Thanks."

"Aw don't worry about it." Mei said as she rubbed her cheek. "Our baby works well. If you happen to have any more ideas, feel free to let me know."

The green field returned and drained any leftover water back down under. And with that, the second event ends.

Class 1-A and the others returned to solid ground and Ochako was talking to Momo and Iida for both their deception and special move. Tokoyami just sat on the ground as Dark Shadow retreated back in his body.

"I can't believe you thought that far ahead to make one!"

"Well you did say I was a big threat to you guys. I should probably live up to that. Besides I must say you did an admirable job getting me off the boat. I never expected you to use a jetpack."

"Yes Uraraka, I never expected such a move either. You were like a brown haired comet to save Midoriya." Iida said before wincing. He got the lesser end of Kaminari's attack, but it still stung.

Meanwhile the other teams were licking their words as Bakugou screamed in the ground. "Those bastards! They played me like a damn fiddle!"

Kirishima rubbed the back of his head nervously at seeing their captain scream like that when he turned to Mina and Sero. They were the two that were caught up in the last electrical attack. They looked a little burnt.

A shadow loomed over them and the two looked up to see Takahashi! Inko and Mitsuki were surprised to see his sudden appearance and looked to his previous spot. He wasn't there at all.

"You two did a good job." He commented as he healed the two. Sero and Mina sighed in relief as their burns and feeling in limbs returned. "There. How do you feel?"

"A lot better!"

"Thanks Mr. Takahashi!" Mina exclaimed. Takahashi nodded and moved over to any other wounded students. Yet despite seeing most of thee students around, he couldn't see two of them.

Todoroki and Midoriya. Said students were in an empty wing of the arena as everyone was recovering and getting ready for lunch.

Midoriya was nursing his bruised knuckles as Todoroki was glaring daggers at him. Now that the battle was over, the two really saw the damage done to each other. Midoriya had bruises over his arm and was shaking a little from the last ice attack.

Todoroki on the other hand had a busted lip. Blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth, down to his chin. There was a small bit of burn on his sleeve while his right arm was twitching from excessive use of his ice. They just stood there in silence.

"Hey Todoroki." He gave a soft smile as he looked at the teen in some vain attempt to alleviate the mood.

"..."

"You put up a really good fight. To be honest I think I've now developed a fear of popsicles now."

"..."

"So are you going to talk or-"

"Your power is very unique." Midoriya stopped smiling as Todoroki pointed at him. "Your punches feel different whenever you glow. Whenever you have that bizzare lightning around you, your strength feels similar to All Might's."

"What? Are you suggesting that All Might and I are related?"

Todoroki didn't say anything for a minute. "Yet when you glow green, it feels more similar to Takahashi's. I know you two are close, almost like family. That makes your case even more curious."

Midoriya felt his blood chill as Todoroki stared down at him.

"During the USJ, I felt both of their powers when they fought the Nomu. How is it that someone like you has both of that?" Midoriya gulped nervously as Todoroki clutched his cheek that was hit earlier. "Could that relate to the power you've shown when the Nomu almost killed you and threw you into the lake?"

One could almost hear a pin drop as Midoriya stared at Todoroki with the biggest eyes.

"Wh-What are you talking about?"


	23. Chapter 23

The crowd was buzzing with approval and hype for the next round of the game. Yet one group were focused intensely on the performance of the U.A students. The group where Vali and his son were.

The two shared a glance before Vali patted him on the shoulder. The son didn't say anything and just stared at his drink as their companions were talking highly about the competition and Izuku Midoriya in particular.

Vali looked at his phone. His contacts have been keeping him informed on all new subjects, but there was a special lead. One Hero Killer Stain. A villain who's been able to slaughter fifteen heroes possibly more. He licked his lips as he thought of having such a pawn in his collection. He sent a quick reply before putting away his phone and getting ready for the next event.

Meanwhile

"Wh-What do you mean Todoroki?" Izuku asked. Todoroki kept his glare up as he crossed his arms. "What do you mean by power I've shown when the Nomu almost…"

He stopped as he felt his back tingle. The scar from that battle occasional makes itself known even after being healed. Midoriya's shaky demeanor steeled up as he wanted answers.

"Hm, seems I let my curiosity slip from lips. Takahashi swore the class to secrecy about something you'd shown during the USJ. Something raw and powerful. Don't know why he wanted to keep it a secret, but he did."

"That's bullshit. Takahashi would never keep something from me!" Izuku called out.

Todoroki almost flinched at that. The dedication in his eyes. "Takahashi...even though he's not blood, you look at him as such a parental figure in your life. Wish I could say the same with my old man."

Midoriya was surprised to hear that as Todoroki stretched his left hand. "The Number 2 Hero, Endeavor, is my father. And as such I've inherited some of his abilities like his fire."

' _Todoroki...has two quirks? Like me?'_ Midoriya thought.

"The ice is from my mother and truth be told I wish it was just her power I inherited. That bastard of father of mine wanted...no wants to cultivate my own fire ability to surpass him. To be stronger than him and All Might. That's my reason, my purpose for living. His arrogance."

"Purpose? That makes it sound like this wasn't a happy marriage."

"Have you ever heard of Quirk arrangement weddings?" Midoriya's eyes widened as he heard that.

One of the few dark spots in history were those arrangement marriages. Similar to how nobles married for higher status, people with strong or unique quirks were married off to those who could produce strong children. And their children inherited whatever combination was given to them.

"My mother's family was bought off by father and they continued to have children to his ideal one came. That would be me. He trained me, isolated me, and even beat my mother for trying to help me. It came to a point where even she couldn't hold out." He reached up and gingerly touched his scar. "When it did, she found my left side horrendous and doused it with boiling hot water."

Midoriya couldn't move as he was given such information.

"Since then I've never used my left side for any conflict until today. You forced my hand." The image was crystal clear as Todoroki could feel the clear panic in his heart when he saw his left arm flare up.

' _I can't even compare what level of suffering he's been through and all in attempt to deal with his father and his goal.'_ Midoriya said in his head.

"I hate it. Him and everything he's done. That's why I've dedicated myself to winning this tournament as a way to show him that I have no need for his power. That I can be a better hero without his influence!" His emotions flared up and Izuku saw him looked a bit shocked. "That's all I wanted to say. I'll see in the next round."

He turned away from the green haired teen. "You're a moron."

"What did you say?" He turned and saw Izuku no longer looking shocked. He was still shaking, but his expression expressed a different view. Anger and disappointment.

"You are a moron." Izuku enunciated. "Everyone in this event is going beyond their limits and you think half of it would be enough. You speak of your dad's arrogance like it's the most disgusting thing around, but with that attitude I see you at inherited that alongside his fire!"

The air grew cold as Todoroki's jaw clenched. Izuku's eyes shined brighter in the dark area as he put his hands in his pockets. "That fire you hate is yours. That man has no hold over your control."

The look Todoroki would've obliterated Midoriya if looks could kill. He walked past Izuku with only one sentence to say. "My ice will be more than enough to defeat you even your own fire should you bring it out."

"My own-?" He turned, but saw Todoroki already leave. Midoriya pushed himself against the wall and sigh loudly.

Unknown to him, two more people were listening in. Bakugou at one end and Takahashi on the other. The two shared a similar expression of disbelief and shock. Bakugou angrily turned away and went to lunch while Takahashi adjusted his hat.

"Good grief. You just had to spill the beans Todoroki." He muttered as he disappeared. Izuku felt the wind from it and turned to see no one there. He looked a bit confused when he looked at his hand. "I better think of what to say to Izuku when we inevitably talk about it."

"My own fire? What does my new ability has to do with...fire?" Izuku asked himself as he walked himself to lunch. Takahashi was busy. Most likely taking care of the crowds or helping Recovery Girl. He thought about talking to him, but his stomach argued against that.

The lunchroom was already crowded. Izuku sighed comically when looking upon the long line. Not only did Todoroki dump on him all his problems but he also stalled Izuku enough to wait in line longer than he had to.

While waiting in line, two people walked over to him. "Midoriya!"

"Hm? Kaminari, Mineta?" The two goofballs gave him a thumbs up as they joined the green haired teen in line. "What brings you two here?"

"Well food of course." Kaminari said before Mineta bumped him. "Oh right. Midoriya, we just want to know your opinion. What do you think about cheerleaders?"

"...are you guys gonna panty raid the forgein cheerleaders from America?" He heard the two talk about it before the whole festival.

"No! Nothing so bold. We would need more time than a lunch period to plan that." Mineta said before Kaminari bumped him to get back on topic. "No what we're talking about is your opinion on cheerleaders? Do they tickle your fancy?"

Izuku stared at them for a second before turning back to the line. "Not really."

The two went white at the answer as Mineta gained a suspicious look. "Midoriya! Are telling us that you play for the other team?"

"Not that there's something wrong with that!" Kaminari added.

Izuku turned back to them incredulous. "Wait, that's what you got from my response?! No, cheerleaders don't capture my fancy! That doesn't mean I play for the other team."

Mineta observed Izuku's body language. "Ah you must be one of those personal guys. A guy who's more inclined if it's someone they have a personal connection with. What if it was one of the girls from our class like...Yaoyorozu?"

A record scratch could be heard in Izuku's head as he imagined that. Momo would be standing there with pom-poms. More exposed clothing and a miniskirt that showed her thighs.

' _Go, go Izuku! You can do it!'_ Not to mention in those old movies, he'd watch with either his mom or Takahashi, the cheerleader was always the object of affection. Now his imaginary Momo seemed to lean in closer.

' _You're amazing Izuku. Very much deserving of a little kiss~'_ She leaned in and Izuku clasped his face in his hands to snap away from his fantasy.

Izuku's eyes turned to swirls and some people could swear his sweat was steaming right off his face as Mineta and Kaminari grinned at that. "Ok we see you Midoriya. Later."

"Perish the thought!" He shouted, but the two had already left. Some people were looking at him as he looked down embarrassed and somewhat depressed at being caught off guard by them.

Midoriya got his lunch and ate quickly. Everyone else had either already eaten or their tables were full. He glanced over to see Ochako and Momo sharing a laugh as everyone else ate.. He smiled softly at their friendship before his eyes landed on Todoroki. His good mood sunk as he saw how Todoroki seemed even colder than before.

"Hey Midoriya." He turned to see Ojiro looking at him. He was near the doorway.

"Oh Ojiro. What's up?" The guy gestured to him and brought Midoriya out of the lunchroom. Everyone else was leaving but the two managed to walk towards an empty hallway. "What's this about?"

The tailed student crossed his arms as he looked down with a contemplative look. "You're our class rep. We trust you to represent our class and our dealings, right?"

Izuku nodded as Ojiro took a shaky breath. "Good. I-I just wanted to talk things out with someone before I do what I have to do."

"And what would that be?" His expression solidified as he crossed his arms.

Ojiro looked up. "It has to do with Hitoshi Shinso."

He went on to explain everything. Izuku listened carefully and did not interrupt him as he explained what happened between the Cavalry Battle and now. When he finished, Ojiro looked at the ground while Izuku mulled over his thoughts.

"So?" Ojiro looked at Izuku when the guy grinned.

"You're an honorable guy." He started. "Thanks for trusting to tell me about this. I suggest heading over to Midnight and explaining the situation to her. She and the other staff members can handle your plan."

The two shared a smile and when Ojiro turned Izuku called out, "Are you sure about Shinso? His abilities?"

"Positive. If you end up fighting him, then at least you'll have a chance to figure something out." Izuku nodded and Ojiro left him in the hallway.

Meanwhile...

The crowd was dispersing as Endeavour walked down to getting something to eat. The event was ok to say the least. The current crop of students was far more than he expected along with the final clash between Bakugou, Midoriya, and Shouto.

He tsked under his breath as he knew Todoroki would've easily won the competition if he had used his fire. The boy would've been able to repel Midoriya easier that way and wouldn't have to rely on trickery from Yaoyorozu to actually win.

"Hey so what do you think of this year's crop?" A group of pro-heroes. Average ranking, but still pros. Endeavour tried to the tune them out, but their conversation got more…

"It looks good, but did you guys see that guy in white coat standing nearby. Guys I think that's The Nurse."

"What? No way. You believe those rumors that they've hired someone as strong as All Might. Where'd you even hear that?"

Interesting. The Number Two Hero raised an eyebrow as he leaned against the wall. Listening in on their conversation, the group began to reveal some details.

"A little bit, but he's a lot more youthful than I imagined. I mean you can tell he's old, but-" He was waved on to skip past that. "Oh right. Anyways, I was working with the police force a few days back and some of them were there after the USJ attack. The officer told me about one of the villains spouting how it was shocking that U.A managed to find someone who was on All Might's level fighting their big gun."

Endeavour could feel a small swell of anger course through him, but kept his cool.

"Bullshit. That can't be right. The public report says that All Might defeated the monster."

"That's the thing. The officer wrote down what the villain said and allegedly the monster attack the nurse first. But the crazy part was that the nurse was fighting it off. With super strength and speed before blasting with a giant blue ball."

The group looked incredulous at the hero as he was telling the story. "No way. He's a nurse. It's most likely he has a healing quirk. Not to mention it sounds like he has multiple quirks which is impossible. Two is the best we can get! This villain is making it up."

"What does a villain get out of telling that story? He was already beaten and that story can't reduce his sentence. I had a hard time believing the officer too, but he showed me some of the transcript and I am a little convinced."

"A little?" Endeavour glanced at the group and saw the hero telling the story was rubbing the back of his head bashfully.

"Yeah well I kind of wanted to see what this guy was. From a distance he doesn't seem that much but I think…" His companions pointed behind him. They turned around and saw Takahashi.

The nurse was walking normally when he saw Endeavour around the corner. He growled softly under his throat as he could feel ebbs of anger flow out of him upon seeing the Number Two hero.

Endeavour scanned him as he walked by and there was definitely something. He had...presence. He passed through the group and Endeavour with not a glance spared at any of them. When he turned the corner, the first hero shivered.

"Oh man. Did feel that?! I can see why that villain was scared!" His friends agreed with him as Endeavour was actually caught off guard by it. His presence alone was off putting.

"Interesting." Endeavour mumbled. His curiosity was peaked. Fuyumi had told me about someone visiting from U.A and her description matches Takahashi's. He was apparently under the orders of offering counselling, but that would have to be dealt with another time.. There were things that had to be done before indulging in curiosity.

Takahashi cracked his neck as he went down another hall. He was too careless when seeing Endeavour. Todoroki's story on how Endeavour abused him just got to Takahashi. In ways that seemed too familiar.

"Taka-baby!" The nurse almost flinched at her voice when he turned to see the R-Rated hero sauntering towards him. "Let's have lunch together."

"Really? Don't you have to keep the masses entertained?" She reached over and latched onto his arm. "Hm?"

She gave a bright smile and shook her head. "Oh come on. Can't two friends have a meal together especially after such intense events. Besides I wanted to know if I did a good enough job."

Batting her eyes flirtatiously, she didn't notice the tiniest hint of red on his cheeks as he rolled his eyes. He led the way with her holding onto his arm until they heard a few footsteps behind them.

"Excuse me, Ms. Midnight." The woman quickly let go of Takahashi's arm as she turned to see Ojiro and his teammate. They looked a bit ashamed as they approached the two. "We, uh, didn't mean to interrupt."

"You didn't." Takahashi said as he quickly tipped the brim of his hat to have the shadows cover his eyes. "Is there something you boys want?"

They went on to explain and the expression of the two went from passive to concerned before accepting. Midnight sported a serious expression when she turned to Ojiro.

"Are you sure?" He looked at his teammates for one last bit of confirmation when they nodded. He nodded at Midnight and she gave them a soft smile. "Well I'm glad you were able to step up to tell us. A sign of humbleness and maturity."

She gave him a head pat to which he turned his head in slight embarrassment. Midnight sent them off to see Takahashi smirking. "What?"

"So you can act more mature and teacher-like." He received a light punch on the shoulder as she got an embarrassed blush. "It was a compliment. Anyways good grief. What're we gonna do with that information?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose before speaking. "I'll have let Nezu, Aizawa, and Mic know of their withdraw and then tell the audience."

"Hm...it would be suspicious if we announced their resignation without proper explanation. Perhaps have them announce it themselves? It would show their humbleness and have less people question the nature of it."

"Maybe. Still I've got to work." Her stomach grumbled and she turned. Takahashi chuckled and reached inside his jacket pocket with some foil. He whistled and tossed it to her. She caught it and opened it to see some still warm takoyaki. Her blue eyes widened and sees Takahashi walk away. "Thanks Taka-baby! You really know how to make a girl swoon."

She enjoyed his little flinch upon that compliment and popped one treat into her mouth as she walked on.

Later on lunch had finally ended and Izuku walked onto the field with the other students as Present Mic was trying to get everyone's attention. A bit of entertainment before the final event with some cheerleaders from America until...

"Whoa Class 1-A what's with the fanservice?!" Present Mic shouted.

' _Fanservice? What's he talking about? Did some poor fool from our class dress like-'_ Izuku turned to where most of the commotion was heard and he was completely stunned to see all of his female classmates all dressed up. ' _HOLY SHIT!'_

Mineta patted him on the leg. "Hey."

"You did this. Didn't you Mineta?" Izuku said while still trying to make sure his jaw was picked up off the floor. He turned to the midget and saw him and Kaminari giving a thumbs up.

"Well we did run it by you during lunch. Don't you like?" Mineta asked. Izuku wanted to say no. He tricked the girls into dressing very provocative and such a thing would not help them in the long run. On the other hand, all the girls in his class ranged from cute to the beautiful. He couldn't deny that.

"What the hell guys? You two are so dead!" Jirou shouted as the two ran off.

Momo fell to her knees in despair as everyone else had varying reactions to being tricked. "I can't believe I got tricked. How could I suffer such a lapse in judgement by those two of all people? It can only get worse by-"

"Hey Momo. You, uh...look good." Chills ran up her spine as she looked up and saw Midoriya holding out his hand. There was a moment of silence between the two when Momo covered her face with her hands and groaned in agony.

Ochako and Mina were also surprised to see Midoriya approach them and felt their cheeks heat up slightly when he turned to them. "Uh sorry for what Mineta and Kaminari did."

"Why?" He turned to see Jirou glaring at him with Hagakure and Tsuyu flanking her. Izuku couldn't tell if they were mad with Tsu's keeping a good poker face while Hagakure's...was invisible. "Did you tell those morons to trick us?"

"No, no, no!" He stammered. "I thought I'd apologize on their behalf! Besides if it's any consolation...you all look really pretty wearing those."

Jirou turned beet red with Ochako and Mina as Momo looked up from her hands. Tsu glanced away and Hagakure giggled at their reactions. The invisible girl sauntered over and put an arm on Midoriya's shoulder.

"Really? You think all of us look pretty? Even me?" Izuku instinctively closed his eyes to think about his answer carefully when she leaned in closer. He accidentally activated his sixth sense when he did close his eyes. In the darkness, Hagakure's energy took her shape and revealed her stunning features. He blushed hard as he opened his eyes jumped back.

"Y-Yes very pretty. Pretty to the point where others can not deal with it. Very, very pretty!" His brain was going into overdrive as the other contestants watched. They were a shared consensus of jealousy running through the male population while the female variety was just curious at this development.

Mina dashed in next to Midoriya and took to his side. "Such a smooth talker Midori. You could get a girl to fall for you with that tongue."

"Huh?!" Momo and Ochako felt the sharpest sting in their hearts as Mina closed in. People were just watching with some amusement while waiting for the next few announcements from Midnight. The approached Midoriya protectively over and went to the other side.

"Ashido. You shouldn't say such things! They can be taken out of context!" Momo shouted.

"You're getting a little too close!" Ochako added in.

The three cheerleaders had a little staredown as Mina grabbed onto Midoriya's arm.

"Oh don't be like that. Midori's a tough guy. He could push me away if I'm getting too close for his liking. Right Midori?" She pressed her chest against his arm and he was sputtering nonsense in his head. Momo and Ochako were aghast by such boldness.

"Izuku, are really ok with this?" The two pushed in closer and Izuku was about to blow steam out his ears.

"Deku?" They asked him, but he couldn't really answer.

"Izuku!" A new voice called out. That snapped the four out of their little debacle and the other girls looked up to see two other women and Takahashi standing above them. "Hi sweetie!"

"Mom!" He broke out of Mina's grasp easily as he approached the stands. "How're you enjoying the Festival?"

The girls eyes went wide when they saw his mother standing their with her friend and Takahashi. He was giving Momo a knowing look and she looked away from it. Inko saw that look from the corner of her eye and got a mischievous smile while Izuku was telling her most things.

"Izuku, are these your classmates?"

"Uh yes." He answered, surprised to see that look on his mom's face. She pulled her phone out and smiled brightly. "Wait...Mom."

"Hi everyone, I'm Inko Midoriya, I'm Izuku's mom. Nice to meet you." The girls gave a respectful greeting as she pointed her phone at Izuku. "Would you mind if I took a picture of my son with all of you. I assume you are his friends. I would very much appreciate it."

' _NANI?!'_ Izuku shouted in his head as Takahashi raised an eyebrow in surprise. Tsu appeared right next to him.

"I wouldn't mind." That set off a little domino effect as Mina and Hagakure hopped in. They ate up Izuku's reaction to them accepting Inko's offer. "Neither would we!"

Momo ran after them and stood next to Izuku with Ochako right behind her. "I suppose if it's for you."

"Course I wouldn't mind taking a picture with Deku." Ochako said. Jirou looked a bit conflicted and Izuku saw that. He gestured at her and she turned her eyes towards him with a bit of conflict in herself about joining.

"Hey Jirou. If it's too much don't worry about it." He gave a comforting smile and Jirou felt her heart skip a beat when she closed her eyes in frustration.

"I-I'm only doing it since your mom seems like a nice lady! That's the only reason!" She moved into the group and put herself a bit closer to Midoriya than intended. Her eyes opened widely as she felt Izuku's arm brush up against hers.

"Well thank you for the compliment. Now say Plus Ultra." The group said it and the flash of her phone went off.

It came out and was quite the picture with Inko humming happily to see it. The group broke apart as Izuku tried to contain himself that his mom has a picture of him. With all his female classmates. Dressed as cheerleaders. He now reached his limit of what most teenage boys desire in

"I'm glad you guys took the picture with me. I gotta go!"

"Wait Midori!"

"Your brat turned into quite the ladies man." Mitsuki commented while Takahashi rolled his eyes.

His eyes glanced toward Izuku and the two shared a look. One that carried one single conversation.

 _We need to talk. After this tournament._

 _Of course._

They turned away from each other as Takahashi left the two moms back to their seat when he walked towards the teacher stand. To where All Might. He suddenly appeared behind the symbol of peace and tapped him on the shoulder.

"GAH!" He turned surprised to see Takahashi standing behind him. "How do you do that? Can you teleport?"

"I just move really, really fast." He said before taking a seat.

"That so, huh." The two watched as the students gathered around with Midnight about to take center stage. "Young Midoriya's been doing extremely well these past two rounds. Though the Cavalry battle may have lost him some points by being tricked by Young Yaoyarozu."

"Good. I wouldn't have it any other way. If he expects to grow, he'll need opponents that force him to. Izuku needs to know that even with all he's been given, power can only bridge the gap so far in battle. If he can't outwit his opponent then everybit of strength he has will mean nothing to his opponent." He leaned forward in his chair as he saw the large arena built in the center of the field. "Besides with this being the last round, this will be the best place to make a statement."

Midnight got up on the stage with her whip.

"Alright students! We've had enough of the pleasantries and rested up well enough from the second round. That leaves us with the good ol' fashioned third round and what better way to end a tournament of this magnitude then with a little one on one action!"

Midoriya saw the finalists names grouped in with their calvary classmates. With everyone's except Shinso's being replaced. There was a confusion spreading over the crowd as Midnight gripped the microphone.

"As most of you can see, there's been a few changes to the final roster. A couple of finalists have gained cold feet." A camera feed began to reveal two of the students. "Mashirao Ojiro and Nirengeki Shoda have stepped out of the competition. Due to personal issues."

The crowd was confused by this by the two stepped up and gave their reasons. That seemed to tide the crowd over. Ojiro stepped back and Izuku patted him on the shoulder. The two shared a smile as two members of Class 1-B was chosen.

Midnight cracked her whip one more time as the brackets were being decided. Finally they stopped and saw Todorki's name was on the bracket next to him. Which means if he wins his fight then he'll face Todoroki.

"First fight, Izuku Midoriya vs. Hitoshi Shinso!" His eyes widened suddenly as he turned to the name and looked at the purple haired student. He didn't look particularly excited. That performance from the Cavalry Battle probably got to him.

But Ojiro's warning still remained in his head as Izuku stood against the general student that began this whole declaration of war between Class 1-A and everyone else.

"Well, well. It seems we'll be the first ones up." Shinso said as he scratched the back of his head. "Hope you're ready."

"You too." Izuku said with a casual tone. Everyone else couldn't tell, but the two shared an intense staredown while the crowd got ready for the first round of the last event.


	24. Chapter 24

The crowd went wild as Cementoss created the arena. Izuku was waiting in the locker room as he was warming up his muscles. Throwing a few punches, he got into the mindset when he heard a knock on the door.

"Are you ready?" A staff member asked. Midoriya nodded as he was led out back to the field. Walking down the hall, the end of the tunnel shined bright on him.

Everyone else that wasn't a combatant or not fighting at the moment were sent to the stands. Bakugou had his arms crossed as he watched the fire in the arena flare up. He was on the other end of the board going against someone named Ururaka. Some brunette got offended but he didn't give a shit.

He focused mostly on Izuku's placement. He would be facing some nobody first before going against Half n Half. He glanced at Todoroki who was just as focused on the fight to come. Bakugou also realized that the only way he and Deku would fight is if Deku wins every fight to the last round.

Honestly it's a win win in that situation. If Deku loses then Bakugou goes on to win with no problem with the exception of Half n Half. Even then he'll figure something out to take him down. On the other hand if Deku did make it then Bakugou had a chance to make the bastard pay for the humiliating defeat from the training exercise.

Either way, the nerd was dead. The entire class noticed some weird aura around Bakugou with some moving back. He didn't give a fuck though. Deku was up and he should at least make some distance.

It would be embarrassing if he lost to someone who would lose in the first round.

Present Mic got up and began the announcement.

"Alrighty! Welcome to the final event of the U.A Sports Festival!"

Deku and Shinso were put on screen as the two walked up the stairs to the arena. The crowd was going wild. Some were speculating on Shinso's power as Deku made his clearly show during the Sports Festival.

The two finally stepped onto the arena and the fires flared up once more. Shinso crossed his arms with a lazy smile on his face while Deku had one hand in his pocket and one fist clenched in front of him.

"Gotta admit this is pretty cool. The fires, the crowds." Shinso said. Deku nodded and made Shinso slightly narrow his eyes. "And who knew we'd fight against each other? Gotta say I didn't think my declaration of war would come directly to you?"

Deku didn't answer and Shinso uncrossed his arms as he felt something was up.

"IN ONE CORNER: The surprise mystery General Student, Hitoshi Shinso! He's got quite the demeanor right Eraserhead?"

"Hm." Aizawa grunted.

"AND IN THE OTHER CORNER: Quite the plain looking kid with a powerful punch from Class 1-A, Izuku Midoriya!"

' _Plain?!'_ Izuku thought with a shocked expression before he shook his head to focus on Shinso, who was looking at his reaction. ' _No focus. If he finds cracks within my personality then he'll probably exploit it.'_

"READY AND LET THE ACTION BEGIN!" A gong went off and Shinso looked at Deku. The teen went into a fighting stance and carefully approached Shinso. The purple haired teen tilted his head as Deku moved around him.

Mina looked on quizzically. "Why is Izuku moving like that? His combat skills should be more than enough to take on that guy."

"Well we don't know his quirk and Izuku most likely doesn't either." Momo answered. "To be fair this guy has been flying underneath the radar this entire time and I have no idea how he got this far."

"What's wrong? Scared?" Shinso taunted. Deku didn't answer and that grin on Shinso's grin finally turned into a scowl. "So that monkey told you about my quirk, huh?"

He charged at Deku before he was stopped in his tracks by a quick jab to the lip from Deku. A small spurt of blood spewed from his lip as he stumbled back before falling over. Deku's speed totally took him off guard as Deku kept his eyes focused on Shinso.

"And one mighty blow has Shinso on the ground!" Present Mic commented.

Momo was still scanning them as she continued to watch Midoriya's behavior. ' _Alright you saw he can't counter you physically. So why are you stalling Izuku?'_

' _I still need to keep myself distant. If his quirk is what Ojiro says is true then Shinso should have some other tricks. Hell he could probably use his quirk through other triggers that Ojiro doesn't know.'_ Deku jumped back and pointed at Shinso. ' _Best I play it safe.'_

The tip of Izuku's finger began to glow as Shinso's eyes widened. Deku kept his glare when he pointed at the sky and fired. A green dot flew into the clouds and disappeared. Shinso got up and patted himself off.

"So he did tell you Midoriya." Shinso said. Deku got into his fighting stance as Shinso's grin returned. "Well I'm found out you win."

Deku raised an eyebrow as Midnight looked at the two. "Is that a declaration of surrender, Shinso?"

"No." He replied and Midnight just gave a weird look. Deku growled under his throat. His backup plan was ready, now he can focus on finishing Shinso quickly. Pink lightning surrounded Deku's body when Shinso raised a hand. "I'm guessing it was him. She probably wouldn't have known."

' _She?'_ He stopped in his tracks.

"Got your attention? Well good. Brainwashing is quite the troublesome quirk at times and there's a fine line I have to be aware of when using it. I want to be a hero, but others see this as a villainous quirk. Also I need someone to respond to me if I ever hope to use it. However since I knew I was gonna meet one of your classmates in a fight, I decided to take some liberties with it. First with that monkey as my pirate..." Deku scowled as Shinso seemed to brag. "And one of the Class 1-A beauties for a little motivation."

"WHAT?!" The girls almost shouted as looked amongst themselves. None of them have met Shinso directly since the Sports Festival began. Deku himself seemed even more stunned by the revelation as Full Cowling deactivated.

Takahashi watched from the stands as All Might was confused on the sudden turn of events. The older man didn't say a word as he watched the exchange gone on, but he tipped his hat to cover his expression of disappointment at Izuku.

Shinso chuckled as he finally had Deku's full attention. He patted some dirt off as he widened his creepy grin. He traced a finger over his lips and closed his eyes as if revisiting a lovely memory. "It was nice of her to such a thing for me. You wouldn't believe how soft it felt the first time?"

Deku's fist shook with anger as his cool demeanor shattered. He lunged at Shinso with a punch ready to break his face. "What the hell did you say you BAS-!"

The teen froze mid punch. His fist stood mere centimeters from Shinso's nose, his eyes empty.

"Yatta." Shinso said as he pointed at Midoriya. "Now that you're where I want you, I lied about that second part. I just thought of it when I saw you take a picture with your classmates."

"H-He got Young Midoriya." All Might said as he slumped back in his chair. "What's gonna happen now?"

"Good grief. Izuku definitely needs to learn how to keep his cool and know when to spot a liar. Although it's impressive that Shinso was able to attack Midoriya's psyche with his knowledge of his personality and relationships. He's pretty smart." All Might turned his friend surprised at his friend's nonchalant response. "If Izuku loses then that's on him. Maybe some consequence and failure can help."

"Takahashi, how could you count Young Midoriya out so soon?! I thought we both had faith in him!"

"I said, ''IF", All Might. IF he loses then he should learn. You should keep a closer eye on what he's capable of."

Back in the arena, Shinso sighed as he rubbed his sore jaw. "You pack a wallop though. Still it's easy enough to see I win this round. Do me a favor and walk off of the stage."

Izuku simply obeyed and began to walk back to the tunnel.

"WHOA AND WITH THAT IZUKU MIDORIYA IS LEAVING THE MATCH! Geez you gotta wonder why this Shinso guy wasn't already in the hero program."

Aizawa growled under his throat as Izuku was walking closer to the edge.

"Midori!" Mina sprung up from her seat. "What're you doing?! You can't walk off! Get your butt back in the ring and knock this guy down a peg!"

"Shut it Racoon Eyes, Deku got himself into the mess." Bakugou said with an annoyed tone. Mina got an irritated vein on her forehead when she turned around to shoot him a glare.

Deku was walking across the arena and was getting closer to the edge. His steps echoed in his mind while his clenched fist finally relaxed.

"Hm, I win." Shinso smiled with a deep sense of satisfaction on his mind before seeing something bright.

The crowd was also taken back by the new light and looked up. Green streaked the sky before landing on Midoriya. A loud explosion rocked the ground and kicked up clouds of dust. Shinso and Midnight were caught off guard while everyone else looked on with bugged eyes.

"AHHHHH!" Deku screamed. It slowly cleared to see Deku on his hands and knees, merely a step away from the ring, screaming in pain. Green energy sparked around his body and people could see Deku's eyes regain their pupils.

"Wh-What the hell?! How could this happen?!" Shinso shouted enraged. He then remembered that one blast Deku fired into the sky. "Y-You bastard. You had a plan in place to break free from my Brainwashing quirk if the situation called for it. You anticipated it!"

All Might's eyes bugged out of his skull while Takahashi had a bemused smirk on his face. "Wow I didn't expect him to do that. Though I'm guessing he put a little too much power into that blast."

"Izuku." Inko almost sobbed while Mitsuki was trying her best to deal with the surprise.

"Holy shit. I thought it was over for him."

Everyone else was on the same boat as Shinso saw Midoriya try to stand up. Seeing an opportunity, Shinso ran across the arena as fast as he can. He could still win, Deku was free but weak. There was still an opening!

Deku finally managed to get up and stabilize himself. He panted hard to get some more air. ' _Shit that hurts. I definitely put too much power into it. I knew he would get me but by the girls?! I...gotta find out why that got to me. Still I managed to get free. Now to-'_

He didn't finish his thought when Shinso ran up and decked him in the face. His fist dug deeply into his cheek. Deku almost fell over, but caught himself at the last moment. The two stayed still for a second before Shinso clenched his other fist.

"Just fall!" He threw his second punch, but Deku managed to duck the other one and responded with one punch of his own. Shinso was knocked back a few feet as Deku fell on a knee. He clutched his cheek to feel the heat radiating from the fresh bruise.

"I-It must be nice." Shinso said as he sat up. Deku glanced at him as Shinso let a drop's worth of blood flow down his chin. "Having power that makes a hero's path easy. But there's a bunch of us that want to be heroes that can't. Some of our powers don't fit the ideal hero path."

Deku pushed himself back onto his feet as Shinso's expression twisted into pain and anger. "So lucky you! I'm sure when you said you wanted to be a hero everyone believed you! Huh, tell me! Tell me I'm right!"

The green haired teen clenched his fists as he stood up. He didn't say a word as Shinso charged at him. Everything moved in slow motion for Deku when he quickly moved around his opponent leaving only a trail of pink lightning in its place. Shinso's eyes widened in fear as he turned around and saw Izuku's fist making its way towards him.

A solid crack was heard from the blow as Deku dragged Shinso along with his punch before sending him flying off the arena. His body landing in the grass and digging himself in. The crowd was stunned before hearing the crack of a whip.

"Hitoshi Shinso is out, Izuku Midoriya proceeds!"

Shinso grunted in pain as he could feel an intense throb of pain in his head. Still it wasn't a good enough distraction from the taste of defeat. "Damn I thought I was gonna win."

"So did I." He was covered in a shadow and saw Midoriya looking down on him with a smile. Which in a way was weird considering he still had a bruised cheek and bloody lip. They almost matched. "You probably would've if I didn't hear about it from my friend. Even so you still managed to get some good hits in."

Shinso tsked and tried to sit up, Midoriya tried to help him but he was shaken off. "I don't need your pity. This was probably a good reality check anyways. Guys like me-"

He tried to stand up, but his knees buckled under the weight. Izuku saw this and caught him. Cameras focused on them as Izuku tried to speak. "Guys like you are rare. You said your quirk seemed villainous yet you want to become a hero. Most would be tempted to such things like that thing you lied about. To be honest I could see you going far with that ability."

Shinso looked at to him retort, but he was caught off guard by the sincere expression Izuku gave him. He looked away at the expression with an embarrassed face. "Tsk, sure you can but will others."

"Well you have my vote of confidence." The two were startled as Takahashi suddenly appeared in front of them. Holding two hands out, he pressed them against their heads and began healing.

Shinso was surprised by the sensation while Izuku merely accepted it. It wasn't the first time feeling this. Takahashi nodded proudly at Izuku before looking at Shinso with a small smile.

"I gotta admit, you did better than I ever expected. You managed to play this fool for the sucker he currently is."

"Sucker?!" Izuku said.

"Your quirk is pretty good, but that doesn't define your destination. My advice: keep up that smart mind, train for more physical fights, and you can become a hero too." Shinso just had wide eyes at that statement. Takahashi finally withdrew his hands and put them in his pockets. "Well you two are good to go."

The two nodded and separated. Izuku walked next to Shinso and smiled a little brighter now. "Hey you were pretty good out there."

Shinso looked away before slowly smiling himself. "Whatever. Just know if we ever go against each other again next sports festival, I'll beat you for sure."

"I'm up for it!" Izuku said before his eyes went blank. Shinso snickered as he sent Izuku away. The two departing and returning to their respective seats.

Takahashi watched on with a smile before hearing Midnight coo about youth. He sighed and walked off as there was a break before the next fight. He kept his senses on and felt All Might approaching Midoriya, most likely to congratulate him on his victory. Walking into the dark tunnel, Takahashi sensed two presences. Both familiar and both bothersome.

"...you're still keeping that promise up? How much longer can you cling onto such a childish response."

"As long as it still carries me to heroism Father."

' _Should I enter? Should I leave? Fuck it.'_ Takahashi thought before turning around the corner. The two Todorokis didn't notice his appearance as Endeavor smugly grinned.

"That kid from before, Midoriya, seems especially powerful. Do you expect your ice to keep him at bay? Can you possibly beat him while holding back?"

"Todoroki." Takahashi said. The two were taken aback by the sudden intrusion as they laid their eyes on Takahashi, his arms crossed and gaze steeled. "You should get ready for your fight with Sero, time's almost up. As for you, Endeavor, you should be back in the stands."

Endeavor's mood soured immediately at the orders and Todoroki saw how Takahashi was unflinching to the sudden change. "Can't a father be here to encourage his son to do his best?"

"You can do that from the stands. We here at U.A like to keep things going at a nice pace. And while we appreciate parents encouraging their children, we'd like it be done at a distance."

Endeavor huffed and stomped away from the lecture. His flames seem to blaze a little bit in an intimidation act, but Takahashi wasn't fazed. He turned to the student and saw his fist clenched tightly. His bangs covered his eyes and the air contained a new level of chill. Takahashi softened his glare and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Todoroki, if you need to talk-" The bi-colored teen smacked his hand off.

"There was no need for you to interfere Mr. Takahashi." Todoroki growled. "I'll be on my way."

Takahashi watched walk away when he gave an pitied sigh. "Good freaking grief what troublesome kid."

Endeavour heard that from the corner before walking off.

In the stands, Midoriya finally returned to the others and was confronted with everyone on how his performance was. Well with the exception of Bakugou who was just giving him a nasty glare.

"You were so cool out there! I can't believe you were willing to damage yourself to get free." Ochako said. Momo and the others agreed while Mina was giggling happily at her friend's victory.

"Though Midoriya I have to ask. Who did you think he was referring to when he lied about being with one of the girls?" Mineta asked. The eyes of girls shined at that, but especially within the main three.

They seemed to lean in a bit closer as Midoriya tilted his head in confusion.

"Oh that well…" He suddenly imagined Shinso approaching one of the girls and his chest felt a little uncomfortable with each one. "Shinso was just being broad with it. I didn't really think of one particular one, I just got angry at the thought of him using his quirk for something, you know, creepy. I mean he didn't so that's good."

Mina, Momo, and Ochako seemed the most disappointed by that answer while Hagakure and Tsu didn't look too bothered. Jirou was in the middle with her twirling her ear jacks. "I mean that makes sense you're a good guy."

"Yeah. Thanks Jirou." Izuku complimented.

She turned away from that bright smile as she added. "Even if it screwed you over in the end."

His smile slightly wavered as she tried to look away. "You're right Jirou. I should probably watch myself. Can't get too crazy or next time I'll be swimming with the fishes."

A collective shiver went through some of his friends when he said that. Despite his happy smile, they just remembered him being tossed casually into the lake. Izuku laughed to himself for a second before reading the room.

"Oh right." He stopped and looked at the arena for a second. No one said a word for a second. Even those who hadn't seen his defeat were aware of how badly it was. Still the setting became really awkward. Izuku twiddled with his fingers when he thought of something else. "Well I would prefer that over that one time I met Momo right after falling into some garbage, running away, getting inked on, and running into her again."

"PFFFT!" Mina, Jirou, and a few others spat out in complete surprise. Momo turned to Izuku shocked and saw he was looking at their reactions with a small smile. Even Bakugou seemed somewhat amused. Then again it involved the suffering of Deku so it made sense. The awkward mood passed.

Mina and the others wanted to know what was going on with that story before a loud ring was heard. The second match of the day.

Sero vs. Todoroki.

"All right are combatants set?" Midnight asked. Sero saw Todoroki's expression and gulped nervously.

"Ready." Todoroki stated bluntly.

"I-I guess I am too." Sero said before tightening his fist. "I'll do my best!"

Midnight cracked her whip as Present Mic shouted start. Sero fired off a strand of tape when Todoroki leaned out the way and slammed his foot on the floor. A large iceberg fired straight out and hit the top of the stadium.

Everyone is Class 1-A almost freaked out by the size of the iceberg. Izuku himself just blinked once or twice as he scanned the iceberg. "Hey...that's even bigger than the one he trapped us in."

"Y-Yeah. R-Really makes you think if he was holding back on us." Ochako said.

' _HOLY SHIT! I PISSED THAT OFF?!'_ Izuku screamed in his head while visibly shaking for a few seconds. Then he slowly calmed down after remembering what Todoroki has been through. ' _I should...no I will help Todoroki. I just hope what I have can do something against this.'_

Todoroki, almost looking like he broke out of a trance, apologized to Sero. The tape boy didn't say much, but when Todoroki walked in front of him and thawed him out. Takahashi quickly appeared and took him away while everyone cheered about Sero doing his "best". However Todoroki noticed him giving a concerned look before leaving. Endeavour looked down at the arena with disappointment at his son and felt some annoyance when seeing the nurse pop in and out with Sero before noticing something.

' _He's fast. Intimidating and allegedly on All Might's level, why would someone that strong stay in the shadows?'_ He glanced over at the teacher bleachers. ' _Not only that he went to my home. Therapy for Shoto? Unlikely. He should know how strong my son is. So why?'_

When Todoroki's iceberg was finally cleared the next matches occurred.

Denki Kaminari vs. Ibara Shiozaki

Izuku was taking notes on the battle as it lasted for a whole ten seconds. One of his notes: _Vines trump electricity apparently. Though I must wonder where that heavenly light comes from when she's in the spotlight._

Said spotlight shined on her as she held her hands together in an almost praying figure.

Izuku tapped his pencil against the pages before writing: _Possibly emulating religious figure Mother Mary. Need to indulge in theological studies to reaffirm my theory._

Mei Hatsume vs. Tenya Iida

Izuku and the others just moved their eyes from side to side very slowly as Mei exploited Iida to show off her inventions to the crowd.

"WHY?!" Iida cried out as the jetpack sent him through the air. He was about to crash to the ground when the jetpack caught itself. Hatsume posed excitedly in front of the most prominent camera in the arena. "Why would you do this?!"

"Because…" Hatsume turned over and almost glanced at the 1-A stands. "Behind someone else, you were the most marketable out of my bracket. But hey if you get the chance, let him know I want him for my next demonstration."

"My God, who else would you subject to such humiliation?" Iida asked. Mei shrugged and hopped over the line. She pulled up her goggles and closed one of her eyes before glancing at the stands. Izuku was in her crosshairs as she felt the fires of friendship look over her...baby daddy. The gauntlets weren't the only thing she made because of his input.

Izuku felt a weird chill down his neck when she stopped to see him.

Mina Ashido vs. Yuga Aoyama

There was no doubt in his mind. Mina had the strongest reflexes out of all the girls. Izuku attributed it to her dance background as Mina was dodging each blast with simply ease. So he knew who would win. Especially when a loud crack of an uppercut echoed out after she melted his belt.

Mina stood triumphant as she flashed a bright smile. She glanced up at the stands and saw her friends cheering her on. ' _That was pretty cool, right Midori?'_

Momo stood up and turned to her friends. "I'm next. And Tokoyami is my opponent."

The bird teen stood up as well and left quickly to get ready. Momo clenched her fist as she knew that this was the first round, but it wasn't going to be easy. She saw Izuku's expression and put on a brave face.

"I don't plan on losing." Brave and confident as she looked, Momo was anything but. Her personality and own expectations would always feed that seed of doubt in her mind.

"You better not. I want to repay you for the Cavalry battle, Momo." Izuku said with a cheeky grin. She chuckled and tightened her fists.

"Of course."

Momo Yaoyorozu vs. Fumikage Tokoyami

Momo stood against Tokoyami. Out of all the students in her class, Momo had ranked Tokoyami below Bakugou, Todoroki, and Midoriya. Those three were the most obvious powerhouses but the cavalry battle proved his worth to her.

"Man this is so exciting. Momo definitely proved she was a force to be reckoned with and Tokoyami was such a great team player!" Ochako exclaimed. Iida nodded as Izuku put down his notebook. As it happened to be, Tokoyami and Momo's pages were right next to each other. Both filled with details on their quirk and weakness.

Momo's weakness according to him? Overthinking.

' _Momo's smart. There was never a shadow of a doubt about that, but can she plan and keep up a fight with someone as combat ready as Tokoyami?'_

She took in deep breaths as she summoned a shield. ' _Don't hesitate. I outsmarted Izuku and Ochako knew how big of a threat I was. I can do this.'_

"BEGIN!" Present Mic shouted.

"Dark Shadow!" Tokoyami gave a commanding wave as his other half flew out. It threw a hard punch to which Momo blocked. It dented the metal and slid her back a few feet. She winced at the level of strength it had before rolling out of the way. "Keep on her Dark Shadow, don't let her escape!"

" _ **I got it, I got it!"**_ He said. Momo ran away from the edge as she dropped her shield and summoned a sword from her palm. Dark Shadow reached for her before its mass caught the blade.

The class cheered on as Ochako looked at Deku. "So who're you cheering on?"

"Heh, I don't really know. Momo's been a closer friend, but Tokoyami has been a great ally. Maybe I should I give general cheers." He focused on the fight on hand and began pondering. ' _Though I'm more inclined to cheer Momo, I don't know how she can beat Tokoyami. He basically told us his weakness when we were trapped but she doesn't know that. What're you gonna do Momo?'_

' _I'll figure it out. And if anything, I just have to get past Dark Shadow to reach Tokoyami.'_ Momo thought as she began to strategize which items she can make. Dark Shadow was chasing her with Tokoyami keeping a keen eye on her. ' _I'm not a good a fighter as Izuku, but I'm more than ready to get my hands dirty!'_

Dark Shadow tried swiping her legs when she hopped above the strike. Summoning a smaller blade, Momo stabbed Dark Shadow through the hand. Pinning it to the ground, it gave a small gasp of surprise when Momo charged right at Tokoyami.

"WHOA YAOYOROZU MAKES A BOLD MOVE TO GET TO TOKOYAMI! IS THIS THE END?"

"I doubt it." Tokoyami said as Dark Shadow slipped between the blade and was pulled back. Forming a claw, Dark Shadow swiped at Momo. The rich girl grunted when it landed against her ribs, tearing her jacket in half and grabbing onto something solid. "Not close enough Yaoyorozu."

"I know that." She mumbled. The girl was missing half of her jacket. "But still I'm happy you're willing to help me test my theory."

Tokoyami raised an eyebrow when he and Dark Shadow looked at the torn bit he took and saw two flashbangs. The pins just pulled out. "DARK SHADOW GET RID OF-"

A loud bang went off and covered them in smoke. Momo wasn't immune to it as bright light filled her vision. Finally things seemed to calm down as she finally gained some hint of sight. Through the blurriness and the ringing in her ears she saw Tokoyami in a similar state.

Dark Shadow was nowhere to be seen. Momo grinned, theory confirmed.

"In hindsight it should be obvious. A dark quirk like that has to have some weird effect from light." Momo said. Getting up and throwing the remainder of her jacket to the side, she saw her chance and charged. Tokoyami saw this was happening and put up a defensive stance. She summoned a metal staff and swung. The bird boy managed to dodge the first swing and continuously tried moving back.

"Get him Momo! You can do it!" Ochako cheered. Izuku joined her as the battle between the two continued.

Finally she managed to trip him between his legs. He gave a small gasp of surprise when she pressed the tip of her against his chest.

"Yield!" She shouted. Pressing a bit more strength behind it she felt her adrenaline finally wear off and felt a good amount of pride in her work. "You did well, but I win."

"As have you." Tokoyami said. "But I must thank you for giving my Dark Shadow a nice place to recover." Momo's eyes widened when Dark Shadow came out from her and landed a solid punch to the face. It sent her flying across the arena with a good cut on her cheek.

"Holy crap." Izuku said. He and others were caught off guard by the sudden return of the Quirk. Scanning the battlefield, Izuku finally saw what Tokoyami was talking about. Momo's torn jacket. He could see Dark Shadow's trail from Tokoyami to the jacket to where he was currently. "Tokayami played Momo. We all thought she managed to get rid of Dark Shadow, but he only hid underneath her jacket."

Momo got up, dizzy, when she saw Tokoyami walking towards her. He pointed right at her and Dark Shadow lunged forward. Having no time to create more flashbangs, Momo summoned up a riot shield. Dark Shadow wasted no time and began to deliver rapid fire punches to it. The rich girl felt herself being pushed back inch by inch until suddenly the crack of the whip stopped them.

"The match is complete! Momo Yaoyorozu is out of bounds. The winner is Fumikage Tokoyami!" Midnight announced. The girl's eyes widened as she looked at the floor to see the white boundary line in front of her toes.

She dropped her heavily dented shield as the crowd cheered. Standing there, her eyes began to shine when a hand patted her on the shoulder. "Huh?"

"You did a good job out there. Thank you." Tokoyami said before bowing respectively.

"Y-You're welcome." Momo said. "And to y-you as well."

The two went down their separate tunnels, but Izuku saw Momo covering her mouth as she walked back into the stadium. Concern washed over him and he got up from his seat. Meanwhile Ochako was looking at the brackets and saw her fight was coming up soon. Her hands were trembling despite the smile on her face.

Hopping over the railings and down the stairs, Izuku went down the tunnel where Momo was and saw her just leaning against the wall.

"Momo?" He asked. She looked up surprised as Izuku stepped up to her. "You ok?"

"Oh…" She glanced at the ground then at him before taking in a deep breath. He still waited for her to answer him when she put on a bright smile. "I'm fine. It's...not easy to accept a loss. Heh, I guess we won't be seeing you in the end?"

He saw her eyes somewhat shine as she said that. It was a lot deeper than that, but he thought of the only thing he could possibly do. "Well now you know how I feel? I mean accepting that loss is harder than being turned into popsicle by Todoroki."

The smile on her face briefly broke as she saw that before something rose up her throat. It was a giggle before chuckling then full on laughing. "You really want to compare losses?"

He turned the other cheek as he tsked at her and stepped closer. "If you keep smiling like that then sure."

Momo and Izuku shared a stare as she slowly turned red when she saw how seriously close and short he was while looking at her. She quickly turned her back to him and squirmed inwardly for a moment. Izuku turned away for a second as well to stop the hard beating in his chest.

"I/You should go to the nurse." They both said. Momo pointed one way before Izuku pointed the other way. She scratched the back of her head when she realized her mistake and walked off towards Recovery Girl. "I'll see you later."

"Right. Talk to you soon." She said and turned the corner. Izuku stared at it for one more second before turning over. Momo was leaning against the wall as she just replayed the conversation between the two. "Oh my God. He's too cute."

Ten minutes later and the next battle begun. It happened between Kirishima and Testsutesu. It was basically slamming two rocks together and seeing who'd break first. Izuku was having a fun time dissecting it, but felt a tug on his sleeve. He looked up before realizing what was up. The two left quietly, grabbed another, and left as the battle down below kept raging on. It finally ended in a double K.O.

"Why am I not surprised?" Momo said. She turned next to her to talk to wish Ochako luck, but the girl was gone along with her two companions.

In the waiting room, Iida was doing his best to talk to Ochako while the girl kept shivering in her place. "I...understand you have some problems with Bakugou. But you must remain calm and vigilant at all times!"

Izuku was sitting on the stairs as Ochako looked at the ground. "I-I know that. I just wanted to have something calming around me before I start my fight. Bakugou isn't too...bad, but still I-"

She started to sound more incoherent as she rambled on. Iida leaned over to Midoriya. "Class Rep perhaps it is best you dispense something calming for our friend."

Izuku hasn't said a word since she pulled them away. It was clear something was bothering her. He sighed and stood up. "You're afraid. Since the last time you fought him."

The two's eyes widened when Izuku brought that up. A deathly silence washed over them as the event replayed in her head. For a brief second, Ochako was staring death in the eye of Bakugou's barrel. One that would've gotten her if Izuku hadn't stepped in. Still even with him protecting her, the heat and light rocked her to her very core.

"Y-yeah. I try not to be afraid, he's our classmate but I still feel...scared when he pops off. And my quirk is just gravity. How can I-" It stopped when Izuku put a hand on her shoulder. She stopped rambling again as Izuku reached over and grabbed her hands.

"It's okay to be afraid, I'm still frightened myself to be honest." Izuku felt something warm in him rise up as he confessed that. "But Ochako you shouldn't let that stop you. You teamed up with me despite everyone turning against us and you jumped head first into danger to save me from Momo and Mina!"

"I did try." He smiled as she got into her head. "Although maybe it'd be better if I was strong as you."

"Ochako." He said the name seriously despite how close their faces were. "You're a lot stronger than anyone gives you credit for. I know that seems a little cliche, but it's true."

The warmth began to spread and Ochako felt herself regain some type of energy back into the system as Izuku felt a tiny bit tired. "Don't ever doubt yourself in the face of adversity. Because when you do that, I think you become a greater hero in that situation."

"D-Deku." She sniffled before wiping her tears. Her inner fire turned into an inferno as she smiled confidently. "I will! Thank you very much!"

None of them noticed the green fire within her eyes or the tiny sparks that arced around her fingers.

The brunette ran off as Iida gave a grunt of approval. "You always know what to say in the proper situation. That is quite amazing Midoriya. Midoriya?"

The teen was looking at his hand while shaking a little. "Her hands were so soft. And we were so close."

"Midoriya? Did you say something?"

He turned a darker red as he stood up straight. "We need to head to the stands, the match is so close! We better go!"

The fires blared as Katsuki finally entered the arena. It was about damn time for him to cut loose. Although it would have to start off with Deku's little girlfriend whose doesn't mean shit to him. As he stepped on in the arena, he saw the girl looking right at him. There was some hint of determination in it. Almost admirable but not enough to avoid his wrath.

"Alright…" Shit. What's a quality he can call her? Deku's little squeeze looked...round? Eh, good enough. "Round Face. You ready to die?"

"Round Face? You could at least call me Ururaka. I mean you almost blasted me last time we fought." Inwardly he winced. Deku did take his strongest blast head on to protect this one when she got in it's range. And this girl...she seemed a lot more ready to die than he initially gave credit for.

"Who gives a shit?" Bakugou held out his hand and sparks sputtered in his hands. "You're going to lose all the same. Maybe this will show Deku a piece of what's coming to him."

Ochako shivered slightly at the uncaring demeanor Bakugou held. Not quite like the blood lust from before, but enough of it to make her worry. She looked up at the stands for a second and saw Izuku cheering her on. Her insides warmed up and she tightened her clenched fists.

Taking a ready stance, Ochako faced Bakugou as the Present Mic shouted start!


	25. Chapter 25

"BEGIN!" 

The crowd held its breath when the battle began. Katsuki didn't care as he swiped his hand across when she tried to touch him. ' _Hmph don't tell me I'm fighting someone even makes Deku look good.'_

Ochako bounced back and tried moving around him. Her heart pounded in her chest as she felt her body move even faster. Bakugou instinctively side stepped her before swiping another explosion at her.

In the crowd Mitsuki and Inko were watching with a bit of concerned eyes as the fight carried on. It almost seemed unfair to put such a nice girl against Mitsuki's son. Still this was a fight and one that must be done to carry on the event. Mitsuki looked hard at the fight.

"He's got good reflexes."

"HOLY SHIT!" Mitsuki shouted in surprise which caught the attention of other patrons. Takahashi was standing next to them. The wind was slightly billowing his lab/nurse coat when they turned to look at him. "How the hell did you get here?"

"I walked." He replied shortly. He crossed his arms and looked back at the arena with Bakugou swiping again at Ochako. "It's almost unfair to see such a matchup."

Inko turned to him. "It won't turn into anything too bad! Katsuki knows his limits and I'm sure it won't be too bad."

Takahashi didn't answer as he looked at Bakugou's face. It was a twisted expression of anger and determination. And it didn't help that such an expression on his face made him feel...reflective on something so familiar.

"DIE!" Ochako was blown back and landed on the ground. In the Class 1-A stands, Izuku was holding on to the railing as the fight kept going. Despite how it looked, he was strangely calm during the whole endeavour. Something just seemed planned to her methods, but some didn't see that.

"How cruel is this kid?"

"Is that even hero material?"

"We gotta stop this fight!"

The crowd seemed to grow restless with each explosive and each time Ochako hits the ground. Katsuki heard a few of these, but scoffed internally at it. They were weaklings anyway. Ochako got back and felt no change in her energy. Her body stung for sure. His fiery explosions has burned her arms and she could feel them shaking. The girl breathed in and out before running in one more time.

' _She must be stupid to think she can even touch me!'_ Katsuki shot her a death glare and Ochako felt her heart hitch with fear when she saw that. But her focused harderend in a millisecond as she charged in again.

' _N-NO! I won't be scared again.'_ Her mind flashed to the inferno during their training exercise and Deku shielding her at the last second from such a blast. He has saved her over and over again. Forces to be reckoned with have challenged him yet he smiles gladly in the face of it. ' _I can't rely on Deku to keep saving me! I'm going to be a hero so I can take a bit of fire!'_

Another explosion sent her back and antagonized the crowd. Izuku and Takahashi were getting especially annoyed with seeing how both fighters were so determined. Mitsuki and Inko were listening to the crowd and the blonde woman clenched her fists angrily. Another explosion rocked the arena when one hero stood up.

"Hey someone's gotta stop this fight! That blonde kids too cruel!" Others agreed with her and then Mitsuki stood up with fire in her eyes. Inko tried to stop her when a voice cut through her protest.

"SHUT YOUR MOUTHS! YOU PEOPLE ARE GETTING REALLY ANNOYING!" The voice echoed throughout the arena. Mitsuki herself seemed surprised while the two combatants were too distracted with each to notice the blue glow in the crowd. Takahashi looked visibly annoyed with everyone and Aizawa could see that even from his position in the stands.

The hero who finally broke the straw on the camel's back slowly slinked back to their seat despite feeling the fear of God be put on him. "Civilians I understand, but some of you are goddamn heroes. You of all people should be able to tell when someone is doing their best. Bakugou is fighting her seriously yet you pros both underestimate him and the girl. Just shut up and watch the fight."

"T-Takahashi?" Both women whispered as he...defended Bakugou? Inko was no stranger to his dislike towards the boy. Especially after Izuku's first fight with boy ending with him being badly burned. Mitsuki had no real idea, but she suspected he had some level of contempt against her son yet here he stood defending his actions.

The crowd died back down as they focused on the fight. Ochako had her hands on her knees while taking in deep gulps of air. Clouds of dust surrounded the two as she wiped some blood off her cheek. Within her body something broke through. A well of determination rocked through her body as she stood up straight.

Bakugou gave a low growl as she stood tall. ' _She's pretty good...and not dead.'_

That's when Takahashi looked up and his eyes slightly widened. Izuku did the same and his eyes widened even further. Ochako put her fingers together and smiled. It rained down from the heavens. Bits of rubble from each explosion was now used against their destroyer and Bakugou was caught off guard when he growled angrily.

"USELESS ASS ATTACK!" He screamed and open palmed the falling rocks. It almost like he was punching the air to create a fiery umbrella that destroyed any incoming rocks. Ochako gritted her teeth and saw a bigger chunk of concrete loosened from the explosions.

Running over, she touched it and herself to make her float. Bakugou didn't notice her go airborne until a shadow covered his line of sight in the sky. The girl almost seemed to cling onto the slab of concrete like a boogie board when she gripped the edge and pressed her feet against it.

"Take this!" Ochako screamed as she released her grip and sent it down. It fell faster with the extra momentum pushing it down.

"Clever bitch!" Bakugou screamed when he dove out of the way. Ochako was still floating in the air and tried regaining some level of control before she floats out the arena. He saw her floating there and let out a dark chuckle. His blood was boiling with excitement. This soft girl was giving him a better fight than he anticipated. "Don't think you're the only one who can get airborne!"

"Hold on. He's actually-" Momo said as she and everyone else saw Bakugou blast him off the arena like a rocket towards Ururaka. The girl noticed him coming right her and knew it was now or never.

Izuku stood up. "DON'T GIVE UP OCHAKO! YOU CAN WIN THIS!"

Releasing her gravity hold on herself, Ochako started to fall but she knew Bakugou was on her path back down. She turned herself over to a diving position as she let her instincts take over. Her hand was outstretched to touch Bakugou when he slapped her hand out the way.

"I got you!" He shouted triumphantly. Ochako's perception of time slowed down to a crawl as she saw Bakugou slowly reach up to her face with another explosion ready to blast her away. Her eyes travelled down to the stands to see her classmates and Izuku on his feet cheering her on.

"NO!" She caught his wrist with her hand sending the explosion to go off next to her face and brought the other up as a fist. Her body almost seemed to be possessed as that raging inferno in her body was poured into her fist and buried it in Bakugou's face. There was a small shock wave from the force as the two slowly twirled in the air. "I GOT YOU!"

Blood spewed from the punch as Bakugou sense something familiar with the punch. The sun blocked everyone including his own view, but he swore there was something shining around her. Shining green. Izuku and Takahashi were the only ones who could sense it as the two could sense chakra! A brief moment of clarity revealed Ochako glowing green with Izuku's chakra coursing through her!

"HOLY CRAP! OCHAKO LANDS ONE HELL OF A PUNCH!" Mic announced.

"Ochako!" Izuku shouted this time in concern. The aura around broke immediately and Ochako's eyes went blank for a second. It caused her arm to slack to which Bakugou used to fire off an explosion to flip them around.

"LIKE HELL THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN!" The color of her eyes returned as she saw Bakugou look down at her with anger and respect. He raised up his other hand to the sky and fired off the biggest explosion he could muster in his admittingly sore arms.

The two fell like a comet and landed hard against the ring. A large cloud of dust covered the combatants and the arena fell silent. Slowly it cleared up to reveal Bakugou pinning Ochako to the ground. He was breathing too hard as he kept one hand on her face, another pinning her arms, and his legs holding her own.

She was barely conscious when Bakugou got up and stood over her. Looking over her, her jacket was blasted away to leaving her in her black tank top, cuts and bruises littered her arms, and there was a trail of blood caked onto the side of her head.

It was different from his injuries as his arms were shaking from the constant explosions and that one punch rocked his shit. The inside of his mouth was bleeding as he spat a wad of spit/blood out on the arena floor.

"I win Ururaka." He stepped back and turned to Midnight. "Call the match hag."

The arena was silent as Midnight finally shook off her surprise and raised her whip until Iida said on thing, "Oh my God."

The umpire and student turned and saw Ochako standing back up. Her arms sagged as she got up. One eye was closed due to a cut above the eye bleeding into it.

"You...think just cause you hit hard I'm out this fight?" That was almost word for word what Deku said when he got up from his biggest attack. She lifted her hand in front of her face and clenched it hard. "Come at me. Come on fight me. Hurry. HURRY!"

Bakugou stood in disbelief as she challenged him, but Round Face was making the best impression of this tournament so far. Fuck that clever bird with his monster partner, fuck Icy-Hot for summoning a glacier to one shot that sticky bastard, and fuck Deku shooting himself to deal with some weirdo that was lucky enough to put him down by speaking. This was someone he really should have taken more seriously.

"Alright Uraraka!" He happily exclaimed. "Here I come!"

Ochako screamed loudly and another swell of power coursed through her body before bursting free. Izuku and Takahashi saw it again when it briefly expanded into the familiar green aura. Bakugou's eyes widened slightly wondering if it was a trick of light or it was something that actually happened.

It broke away too fast as Ochako's eyes went blank and she fell to her knees. Bakugou stood stunned at the event. Almost falling to the ground, Takahashi appeared next to Ochako while Izuku, too overwhelmed with worry, quickly sprung to his feet and went to the hall.

"Midori! You checking on her?" Mina said but he was already gone. Momo didn't say anything as she knew that worried grimace.

Takahashi picked her up while Midnight announced Bakugou was the winner. He turned to Bakugou and the blonde boy flinched at his blue eyes. The same ones that bore down on his soul during their last conversation.

He raised one hand at him and fired one blast at him. Bakugou got into a defensive stance before feeling the sweet sensation of pain leaving his body. His jaw didn't ache anymore along with his arms. A second later and Bakugou looked as if he never got in a fight.

The cameras got the healing but the hat covered Takahashi's face from being seen from a certain villains. All for One gave a small noise of disappointment from not seeing the face, but intrigue in how fast it worked.

Back in the arena, Takahashi had a ghost of a smile on his lips when looking at the blonde boy.

"You acknowledged your opponent's strength and held nothing back. An admirable trait to have perhaps use that to gauge your other opponents." He turned his back and disappeared just as quickly as he appeared. Bakugou blinked at the compliment and walked off considerably confused by it.

Takahashi appeared in the hallway when Izuku ran up to him. "Ochako, Takahashi!"

He slid to a hard stop in front of the nurse as he was sweating hard. "Did you feel that? I felt my own chakra in her and I couldn't believe it, but then she passed out and then-"

"Walk with me Izuku while I heal her." Takahashi said to stop his rambling from entering subsonic speeds. His hands began to glow and the cuts and burns slowly healed. Blue light enveloped her body and she gave a sigh soft in the comfort of it. "I, too, have sensed that well of power in her."

"D-Does she-?"

"No she does not possess chakra. It takes a skilled master to even begin unlocking others. What simply happened was you've given her a fraction of your power. When did you do that?"

"I-I don't know. The last time we were in contact I was holding her hands to calm her down before her fight with Bakugou and…" He stopped as he remembered that weird sensation from before. The one they shared before she left and one where she seemed even more energized. "I gave that to her?"

"Hm." Takahashi grunted as Ochako shifted slightly against his chest. "That is the truth. One I'm very surprised by."

"How?!" Izuku almost shouted.

Takahashi turned to him and gave him a soft smile. "It means you've matured."

They finally entered the nursing room and Recovery Girl had a bed ready. All Might was with her and Takahashi gently laid her on the bed. Before leaving her to rest, Takahashi grabbed something from the cabinet and put it into her ears.

"Ear plugs. Best to be safe if she wakes up." Takahashi said. Recovery Girl nodded and pulled the curtain over her bed. "Nezu has Present Mic give everyone a twenty minute break to fix the arena for the next round."

"Yeah...I'm the next fight." Izuku said before realizing his matchup with Todoroki was next.

"Takahashi." All Might said. "I came by to tell you that Naomasa Tsukauchi has dropped by. He said there was something he wanted to discuss with you."

"Of course. I'll gladly talk to him after Izuku." He crossed his arms. "After all he's improving a lot faster than I originally thought."

The three adults turned to Izuku who was a little confused. "I...thanks? Takahashi, what does this have to do with Ochako?"

"Well you've matured your ability with chakra to do transfers. All Might hold out your hand." The hero agreed and Takahashi reached over and firmly grasped it. A blue light shone between them before it went into the number one hero. All Might gasped before he puffed up to his hero form. "This is transfer. Giving your chakra to others and in my opinion."

He looked wistful for a second at Izuku. "The greatest form of compassion I know in this world."

Recovery Girl gave a worried glance as Takahashi seemed to drop his stoic facade and switched to a more gentle man. "This means techniques like healing are available to you. Not just for yourself but for your friends as well."

"Healing?" Izuku excitingly questioned. "You're telling me I'm now capable of healing others and myself?"

His gentle face switched to teacher mode as he knew where this was going. "Don't get the wrong idea Izuku. If you think this means you can go one hundred percent from now on that's not the case and I strongly urge you perish the thought."

The three flinched at the switch as Izuku nodded quickly. Takahashi leaned against the table and pointed at him. "Don't think I've not noticed your little experiments with it and One for All."

All Might and Recovery Girl glanced at the boy surprised when Izuku nodded. "I...I can't be as helpless as I was during the USJ!"

Flashes of his friends surrounding him while he was bleeding out could play as clear as day to this moment. Even with the help of Mina and the others distracting him it was still there. Takahashi's face expressed a little guilt when he heard that.

"I will never view chakra as something to be played with or a shiny ability to show off. You taught me that and I believe you one hundred percent, but if I want to save others with a smile on my face, I need it's strength. I don't want to see my friends so badly for me."

The room was silent as Takahashi finally broke it. "Good grief, you know how tug at an old man's heartstrings. Damn you All Might for inspiring this boy to be the best."

"Oh, uh, right." All Might said as he turned away from Izuku.

"Izuku." The boy turned to his first mentor. "After the Sports Festival will be your internships. In that brief window of time I want to come to Recovery Girl to teach on healing others."

"Me?" Recovery Girl asked in surprise.

He nodded. "I recently brushed up your skills on it and I think it's best that Izuku learns these types of things not just from me or All Might. I have in you Chiyo."

"Oh you just know how to make an old lady blush." Recovery Girl said with a tint of red on her cheeks and an adorable old lady pouty face.

"Wait teach me? Recovery Girl knows chakra?!"

"Why else do you think we work best or know each other?" Takahashi asked back. Izuku was processing this information when they heard a stir behind the curtain. "I'll explain the nature of our relationship later Izuku. Right now your friend just woke up. All Might, you should get out of here."

"I'll send Tsukauchi towards you. And Young Midoriya." The green haired teen looked to his hero. "You've been doing an amazing job out there. Young Todoroki is next and if he's anything like his old man then you should prepare for the worst."

Izuku and Takahashi internally flinched at the wording as both heard the true nature of the second hero. All Might left and Takahashi slid the curtain aside. "Uraraka, good of you to join us. How're you feeling?"

She tilted her head confused before Takahashi remembered her ear plugs. Pulling them out, she surprised to get her hearing back. "You asked me how I was doing?"

"Ochako!"

"Deku?!" She didn't see him behind the nurse and Recovery Girl noticed the deep blush she had. "Wh-What're you doing here?!"

"I was worried. You did such an awesome job against Kaachan then passed out."

The entire battle flashed in her head before she hung her head in shame. "Oh so I lost. I lost my first match."

Takahashi put a hand on her chin and lifted it up. "You seem to have healed nicely. There's spare uniforms in the locker rooms you guys were in earlier. Izuku take her there and help get a new jacket."

"Ok." He led her away when Recovery Girl tilted her head confused. There was a supply of jackets here. But she saw how Uraraka was and decided to let that go.

The two teens were walking down the hall when Ochako unintentionally leaned on Izuku. "Ochako?"

"Huh?" Her eyes almost seemed dead to the world. "Oh sorry Deku. I guess just lost. I thought I had him. I tanked all those explosions and yet…"

Her eyes began to water. Izuku quickly opened the door and led her in before she could start bawling. Izuku took a deep breath before smiling brightly. "Ochako don't talk like that. You were amazing!"

"Eh?"

"You took a lot of Kaachan's explosions to make it rain concrete on him and even when that didn't work, you took to the skies yourself!"

"I still lo-"

Izuku raised his hand for a second of her silence. "Not only that, but were so determined to fight even when he pinned you down that you just got right back up. I think you're the first person he's also said by their last name and not some weird nickname at all. You were so much stronger than anyone could have expected. Everyone thought you were being bullied, but you just showed them up!"

The brunette couldn't say anything as Midoriya kept the praises going. "You lost that's a fact. However I think you just showed the world the real power of Ochako Uraraka. The hero her parents knew was there!"

She covered her mouth to catch the gasp as through her teary eyes, Izuku showed the same smile her parents had when they encouraged her to become a hero, not just for them, but for herself. "Deku."

He stopped himself when she saw tears were flowing more freely and she was trembling. ' _Aw crap I messed up! Was it the parent's line I said?'_

The gravity girl glomped him almost to the floor, but hit a wall instead. He suppressed a grunt and slightly adjusted their position back to standing as he could feel her tears on his jacket soak through.

"Thank you." She muffled in his chest. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"No problem. That's what I'm here for." He returned the hug as she felt her heartbeat increase with the contact. It was so nice, it felt like they could stay like that forever when…

 _BRRING_

The two broke apart when Ochako ran to one of the lockers and pulled out her phone. The contact number there and she knew who it was. Turning to her friend, he nodded and left.

"I'll watch your match soon Deku!" She said before the door closed. Wiping her tears away, she answered the call. "Hi dad."

Izuku felt as if enough time had passed and needed to get ready for his bout with Todoroki. Jogging down the halls, Izuku turned the corner to see a flaming mountain of a man. Endeavour.

"Oh. It's you." His voice echoed like All Might's, but there was a colder edge to it. "Izuku Midoriya, am I right?"

"Uh yeah I'm that guy." Izuku almost stammered.

The number two hero pointed at him. "You display speeds close to that of All Might's and that punch you gave to the purple haired one was a lot stronger than I initially thought. Such power has me saying I want you to do your best against my son. You will be an excellent test for him on his path toward greatness and fulfilling his reason for creation."

"Are you serious?"

"I am. That's all I wanted to say." He walked passed Izuku before hearing a deep sigh.

"Gimme a break you idiot." The Number Two hero paused and turned slowly to the green haired teen. That nervous demeanor was gone as Izuku turned his head slightly. This hero was doing something only one villain has gotten him to feel. He was getting him mad. "I'm not All Might."

"Obv-"

"Obviously. And Todoroki isn't you. You may have a reason for him to exist but that doesn't apply to him." His eye twitched at Deku's attitude towards him. It was almost the same feeling from that nurse. "He won't fire as a means to spite you."

"He will grow out of it. But by your tone I'm sure this means you'll possibly do something for that fire. How kind of you. Are looking for compensation perhaps. Money is of no obstacle for me."

Izuku felt his anger licked his power and caused a few hairline cracks to appear on the floor. "I'm going to get him to use his fire. But not for you and certainly not for a price."

Endeavour watched Izuku leave quickly but in stride. His eyes glance at the floor and noticed the cracks almost reached him.

"Interesting boy."

Meanwhile a certain nurse finally meets up with a friendly detective. Tsukauchi and Takahashi walked down the halls. "So what's this important news you wanted to talk about?"

The two have actually been in contact recently during the week before the Sports Festival. The detective was a trusted friend of All Might's and knew the secret of One for All. And allies like those were rare for those who knew the secret of chakra. So the two made it a point to be close and learned much from each other.

"It's actually something that can be beneficial for you. I assume you don't have a hero's license."

"You mean permission to fight, investigate, and arrest? No." Takahashi said as he kept his stride.

"Well what if I told you there was a way for you to fight. A man like you with such power being held back in the sidelines is a tremendous waste in the fight against villains and with how you performed during the USJ, there should be little doubt that you could join in."

Takahashi stopped and Tsukauchi stepped in front of him. "Really? I'm intrigued. What brought this up?"

The detective smirked and held up a folder. "Five years ago, society dealt with an influx of vigilante action going throughout the country indirectly from All Might's influence as the greatest hero. As you know vigilantism is seen as bad if not worse than villainy. But a few smart eggs hatched up a scheme to subvert this. These people showed talent and strength to become great heroes but couldn't for one or more reasons."

"So why waste putting them through the wringer of hero courses when you can add them to the police force." Takahashi finished.

"Exactly! They're labelled as our reserve special forces or RSF for short. They function like underground heroes but answer directly to the police board instead. They fight villains and we subvert the curve of vigilantes."

Takahashi pondered on it before saying, "This runs like black ops. I apologize, but I don't feel comfortable sharing my talents to a room of suits."

"And I have thought of that my friend." He opened the folder and showed him a paragraph. "There is a section that says that certain individuals can forgo reporting to the police committee in favor of one trusted police figure to report for them. They ask for requirements I easily exceed."

Takahashi grinned as he closed the folder. "Good grief you must really be charmed by abilities to get this. And you've even taken in my own precautions of trust to your own hands. I can see why you're quite the ally to All Might."

"There are a few more things." Tsukachi said. "You must be sponsored by a hero. In the event you do something that violates your license, the heat must be taken by two knowing parties. That being the police and hero departments."

"All Might could fit the bill."

The detective shook his head. "I thought so too, but All Might's a special case. As the RSF is an open secret to the world his approval of you would draw in more villains to you. The League of Villains or just the criminal, should they catch word of this, will see you and paint a target on your back the size Mustufa."

"Hm, All Might's endorsement is too good, huh? I'll think of another hero to take his place. Is there anything else?"

"Well we can't just give the license. There is going to be a test. Not every candidate for the RSF is the best we can do. As such once you find a hero, you'll go through that." Takahashi nodded and put the file away in his coat. "Read the file over and when you find a hero, give me a call. I'm also give All Might the news we learned from the USJ incident. Seeing as you helped him, are you interested in learning what we got?"

The old man pondered on that before shaking his head. "If it's anything important to warrant my attention and not just yours let All Might know to inform me. Otherwise I've got my first job to do."

"Of course. I'll be seeing you around friend."

"You too." The two men parted ways as Takahashi walked out to the arena to see the next fight finally begin.

Their steps could almost echo throughout the stadium as Todoroki and Midoriya stepped into the ring. The crowd was growing restless for this next fight as Izuku proved himself both fast and strong while Todoroki could summon the pure destruction of elements.

Izuku stood against Todoroki. His father's words and attitude toward his son was only adding to his frustration with dual colored teen's attitude towards his own quirk. Todoroki had so much potential yet squanders half of it to get back at his old man.

' _Todoroki, you may hold the best reason for your anger but this isn't the way.'_ Izuku crouched into his fighting stance and got ready. ' _I will save you, heck I willing to lose if it gets you to use your fire.'_

"Taking all bets guys. Taking all bets!" Mineta shouted in the stands. Some of the guy actually were forming a pool with a bit of money and favors as their currency. "I'll drop two thousand yen on Midoriya."

"Please Mineta, Midoriya is great but I know what he's facing. Three thousand on Todoroki." Sero said. Kaminari, Sato, Kirishima, and even Tokoyami placed a bets into the pool. Iida tried protesting, but notice Ochako return. She sat between both him and Momo as the bell finally rang.

"BEGIN!" Present Mic announced and a loud boom was heard to meet the large glacier on it's path.


	26. Chapter 26

"OH WOW THAT U.A STUDENT STOPPED THAT! NICE!" Yoarashi seemed particularly fond of this matchup. One look at Todoroki and he was on Deku's side.

"Yoarashi calm down." Danju said. Vali seemed a little interested at the green glow before impact.

The ground shook as the large iceberg bore down on Deku stopped. Todoroki let out a wisp of cold air out when he saw it stopped near the edge. Glowing bright green, Deku landed the hardest punch he could muster to halt it.

He pulled back and walked around the iceberg casually while shaking his hand. "Hey Todoroki, I see you're one of those people who pull out their strongest attack for the first move. Not bad."

Todoroki slammed his foot again and sent another iceberg towards Deku. It covered the boy and he disappeared under all that white. Midnight looked any sight of him when she saw him on one of the higher tips of the iceberg.

Breaking a piece off, he pressed it against his back and looked relieved. "You know this stuff is really good for the back. I'm not gonna lie, Shinso had me do a number on myself."

"What're you...are you screwing with me?"

"Not really. I'm just happy that we're not going all out in this fight." He smiled politely as he hopped down back to the arena. He fiddled with the ice piece before throwing it at Todoroki. He leaned out the way as Deku stretched like it was all a friendly warm up. "It's just that I was pushed really hard in my last fight. Guess my opponent didn't want to hold anything back."

Todoroki gritted his teeth and sent another ice wave. Deku smirked and summoned some power to his leg. "Full Cowling: Leg Sweep!"

Swinging his leg hard, the wind pressure was enough to cut the ice in half horizontally and sent the top chunk right back at Todoroki. Deku jumped out of the way of the bottom half when Shoto summoned an icewall to shield himself from the debris.

In the stands Sero looked a little depressed to see Deku take Todoroki so lightly and tanked his iceberg attack. Mineta got on his feet to cheer on his friend when Todoroki dashed to the side and slid across the floor.

"Don't get cocky!" He shouted and fired a torrent of ice at his opponent. Deku jumped back, landed on his hands, and springboarded back to avoid the attack. Todoroki gave chase as he kept trying over and over to hit Deku. yet the green boy kept dodging each one. And the only thing more infuriating than that was him laughing the entire time.

"You know Todoroki if you keep this up, you can probably make a great ice castle for kids. Oh actually that reminds of this cute little movie I watched with my mom-"

"Shut up!" Todoroki slammed his fist to the ground and a tsunami of ice rose above Deku. It crashed on the chakra user and layered the arena in a blanket of snow.

"Whoa now that's pretty cold of him." Mic said. The pun would probably get a laugh if it wasn't for the temperature dropping a few dozen times from the onslaught. Class 1-A along with everyone else was shivering after that last attack. Todoroki let out a shaky breath with that.

Suddenly a green light appeared and broke through the snow. Steam circled around Deku as he stood up.

"Oh come on. Why should I? I had to stay silent last round to not get hacked. Did you know I haven't had much time to try my fight banter." Deku said as if he hadn't just had a blizzard drop right in front of him. Todoroki's eyes widened in anger and surprise to see him still standing.

"You're making me mad!" He ran towards Deku, riding on the ice, and getting ready to fire another blast.

"Heh." Deku chuckled as Todoroki got closer. "So are you."

Todoroki thrust his right hand forward when Deku leaned out of his way. The bi-colored teen started swiping away, but as he did his frostbite grew more and more. Seeing this ending in Deku's favor, Todoroki stopped using his quirk and decided to leg sweep him. The hero felt the kick knock him off balance when Todoroki knew this left an opening.

 _CRACK!_

"BWAH!" Todoroki spewed out as Deku's foot was planted firmly in his cheek. He managed to use the momentum from the sweep to twist into a kick. It sent him back a few feet when he brought up an icewall to catch him. He tried to get up quickly, but the blow left him staggering. Deku gave a sigh of disappointment and put his hands in his pocket.

"What's Midoriya doing? He's got Todoroki on the ropes, he should finish it." Mineta said.

"It is strange. Perhaps Midoriya is challenging Todoroki's proclamation from earlier today." Iida theorized.

"No that doesn't make any sense. Izuku is a lot of things, but toying with an opponent is not one of them. He must be doing something this for a specific reason." Momo said.

Bakugou almost said something in agreement, but his eyes were studying the two. He'd beat the hell out of either, however he was a bit curious to know what Deku was doing. If he knew him, then he's got a plan.

Meanwhile with Takahashi, All Might walked out of the stadium to watch the fight when he saw the damage.

"Quite the chill."

"Yeah. I don't think all that's from Todoroki's ice." Takahashi replied as Deku approached the fallen teen.

"You know there was probably a few different ways to beat me already if you were being serious."

"I am serious." Todoroki got back up and clenched his right arm. If he went with anymore big attacks then he'd be handing Deku victory on a silver platter. And if Todoroki wanted to show up his father then he needed to be smart.

Deku walked closer before stopping several feet away from Todoroki. "Are you sure about that? I got to say if this is your best then I'd have a better fight with Mineta."

"Do not name drop me!" The purple boy shouted out of fear but was ignored.

"You want my dad's fire? And you think the best way to get it is through petty insults?!"

Deku shook his head. "Honestly yeah. If I made fun of his beard I could heat up the stove back home for a few months, maybe a year. But I'm not here him, I'm here for you."

Todoroki shifted his foot slightly and summoned ice spikes from the ground. Deku sensed something and brought his hands up in time to catch the two. Todoroki charged and grabbed Deku by the throat. Ice began to cover his body and Deku put on hand on his arm to hold him back.

"You want fire?" Todoroki seemed to grow even more livid with each passing second. The ice would've covered him faster if it wasn't for the frostbite slowing him down. "I'll give you something that burns just as much."

Deku started to choke out a sentence as the ice was slowly wrapping his body. "S-Some advice. N-Ne-Next time you…"

"What? Got something else to say?" Todoroki asked. "Though I guess it wouldn't hurt to say it. My old man's looking pissed already and in a second will grow even more mad when I win."

Up in the stands, Endeavour was looking quite mad. It was almost worth it and if Deku threw the match then it probably would've helped, but that wasn't going to be his path. Todoroki's anger and grudge weren't going to get to him.

The teen took in a deep breath before looking Todoroki dead in the eye. "You should've gone for the head."

The advice confused the ice wielder when Deku broke his right arm free and snapped his fingers. A large boom echoed through the arena and sent the two apart. Deku pushed himself back as his hearing was coming in and out. Stumbling to his hands and knees, his body was wrecked with the cold.

' _Aw shit! That was way too close! Good thing I remembered snapping my fingers could help with some One for All.'_ He winced when he looked at his hand. The fingers were busted with a bit of blood on them. ' _Damn it. Even holding back to fifty percent, it still damages my fingers. No, focus. This fight isn't over yet.'_

Deku grunted and brought out his aura. The shining light within him warmed his body and got him standing. "Jesus, that is cold. Now I know how Sero feels."

He turned to the mist and saw Todoroki stumbling to get up. Not wasting a second, One for All coursed through his body and was ready to be used upon.

"Hey you ok? I mean I snapped pretty loud so if you're hard of hearing I can do sign language." A wave of ice fired right at him from the mist and Deku jumped to the side. "Ok text speech. I can do text speech, but I need to get my phone!"

"SHUT UP!" Todoroki jumped out the mist with his right side almost covered in frost. "JUST SHUT UP!"

He swiped at Deku, but the green boy smacked his arm away before countering with a fist to the face. An arc of blood spewed out the cut on his lip and Todoroki tried catching himself. Yet all his strong attacks left him incredibly weakened and left him falling on the ground. Deku stood up straight and towered over him.

"Just end it already." Todoroki said in a defeated tone. "I rather face defeat than use his power."

Deku felt something rumble in his throat his throat as Todoroki said that. "You keep saying his power, his fire."

"I inherited it. So I refuse it."

"You are an idiot." Deku growled. Reaching down and grabbing him by the collar, he shook the teen and his chakra flared. It licked against Todoroki's body and he felt unwillingly energized. His dual colored eyes saw tears threatening to break through Deku's eyes. "If I was a villain willing to kill everyone here, you wouldn't use it? What if they got to your family, your mother?!"

"What're you saying?"

Deku was almost visibly shaking in anger and was ignoring the pain in his two fingers. "I'm saying that despite everything you do to avoid be your dad, you're becoming just like him! Standing arrogantly over everyone, thinking your power makes you the strongest!"

Takahashi and everyone else heard this and saw Izuku's aura rise higher when he yelled, "WHAT KIND OF HERO HOLDS BACK ON GRUDGE?! IT'S YOUR POWER! YOURS NOT HIS!"

Todoroki was rocked to the core when Deku said that. One second had passed. Two seconds have passed. Then steam started to hiss as the third second had passed. Deku let go of Todoroki and felt danger incoming. Jumping back in time, he managed to get some distance before Todoroki burst into flames.

"Oh my God." All Might said. Takahashi whistled at the storm of fire before him.

The fiery teen stared into the sky as memories of his mother and her words echoed in his head before Deku's words hit the final nail coffin. A tear slid down his face as the bittersweet end of his promise finally burned away in the raging inferno on his left side.

"SHOTO!" Endeavour shouted proudly. "You've finally did it! You've accepted your path to become the strongest! Over me. OVER ALL MIGHT!"

"What words of encouragement?" Present Mic asked.

"More like words of a blind bastard." Takahashi muttered under his breath before turning to the arena. The frosty temperature dissipated and replaced with the sweltering heat of the fire. Todoroki felt his lips rise up to an almost maniacal grin with Deku sporting a more proud smile.

Mineta and the others were shaking. "I, uh, think he's ready for round two."

Shinso was in the crowd with his class and blinked repeatedly. ' _I would've gone against that. Maybe it was a good idea to lose to Midoriya.'_

"Holy crap Deku actually did it!" Ochako said while Momo narrowed her eyes in analysis. Now Todoroki's weakness to ice was taken off the table. What now?

"Midoriya." Todoroki said. He raised his fiery hand and slashed across the air testing his new abilities. "Thank you."

Deku nodded before feeling how hot it was. He reached his zipper and zipped down leaving him in a black tank top. In the bright fiery light, he appeared differently than initially viewed on. People had a few reactions, but it definitely affected the girls in his class. Momo covered her nose and mouth, Ochako covered her eyes with her hands peeking through, and Mina leaned in closer for a better look.

"W-What the hell?" Jirou stuttered.

"Wow. Izu sure looks different in that. His arms look great." Tsu said out loud which made some of the other girls draw some attention to it. She followed as well until she noticed his right arm with the bite mark from the villain. Her eyes flashed guilt before looking towards the ground.

"Whew, Inko your kid hella buffed up." Mitsuki said as she nudged her friend. The stakes just changed and Inko was growing even more worried with the fire against him. "I feel bad for all those girls in his class."

"R-Right." Inko replied while keeping her eyes focused on her son.

Todoroki stood up straight as his fire died down a little for his current limit couldn't hold it up. "So will you fight me seriously?"

"Of course." Deku clenched his fists and took a deep breath. "I knew you were amazing, but at your level I think I can test out something. I've been using it in small bursts throughout the tournament."

Pink sparked around his body as volcanic veins coursed through his body. His green eyes shone as he gritted his teeth. Green light outlined his body before erupting like Todoroki's fire.

"Full!" The ground began to shake. Midnight tried to find her balance.

"Chakra!" The sky seemed to almost darken as the power of One for All twisted within his body and wrapped him like before, but with his own spiritual energy double layering it.

"COWLING!" The green outline turned into a bright pink while green fire erupted around him. The volcanic veins stayed visible on his body for a five seconds then began fading. The aura slowly spiralled around before entering his body.

The only thing that his changed was his eyes. The shined bright green with a tint of pink around the edges. Tiny sparks occasionally erupted before stopping.

All Might and Takahashi's jaw slightly dropped when he sensed the perfect synchronization of the two powers. Deku looked overjoyed as he caught his breath.

"Was there supposed to be something I am missing?"

"Not at all. If I was being a little truthful, my quirk has always been hard to control. Something was always getting in the way of controlling it. Heck just glowing saps my strength considerably. So let's just say I found a way to internalize my power more efficiently and gain better control over it. Here we go." Deku stepped forward and zoomed past Todoroki. The other teen not even knowing what just flew past him while Deku tried to marvelled at his new speed.

Takahashi shook his head. "You always find a way to impress Izuku. Now show us more."

Todoroki swung his arm around and an icy barrier was erected between the two. Deku jumped into the air, reaching new heights, and pointed his hand at him. A glowing green dot at each of fingertips fired off to reach Todoroki yet with a wave of his left hand, a fire barrier met it. The explosion gave him enough time to travel on an ice path away from danger.

Deku blasted himself down to the ground while spinning around to land a hit and Todoroki protected himself with an iceberg. It split open when the green teen's foot sliced through it like butter. Todoroki smirked and formed a flame thrower.

The two went back and forth with Deku and Todoroki each trying to gain the upperhand on the other. Blue, orange, and green lit up the field as their attacks clashed each time. A minute later, Todoroki slammed both his right hand and foot on the ground.

"This is amazing! Young Midoriya has truly become something else!" All Might proclaimed proudly. "That new technique, combining both of our powers is something spectacular!"

Takahashi shook his head which surprised the Number One hero. "No. Izuku's new technique has a weakness."

"What? What could that be?!"

The two watched Deku punch away a pillar of fire from Todoroki and saw the sweat steaming off his body.

"It's incomplete."

Almost a mountain of ice rose from the ground and bore down on Deku. "We end this now Midoriya."

A twinge of pain rocketed through Deku's body and he visibly winced. Pink lightning started to spark around his arms and "Agreed." Deku let his left arm go limp as he drew back his right arm. "DEVASTATION BEAM!"

A wide beam fired like a laser cannon from his hand and met the ice. It tore through the mass of ice with little struggle before exiting out the other end. Todoroki narrowed his eyes as the beam got closer. A large explosion was heard and sent the ice crumbling into millions of shards and forming clouds of mist.

The crowd went silent as Deku's right arm went numb and he fell onto one knee. Mineta peaked over the railing along with the rest of his classmates to see what was going. "D-Did he get him? Did he win?"

"Not until Midnight declares it." Momo said. Her eyes were scanning every part of the battlefield for any sign of Todoroki. Yet the mist covered any area he could be hiding in.

In the arena, Deku was dealing with something else as he clutched his shoulder. ' _Shit this hurts and I can't feel my left arm. Internalizing both my powers and keeping them in sync requires a lot of concentration. Not to mention the fact I've been punching fire that's been melting the concrete and ice stronger than any steel I've hit before.'_

He got up on wobbly feet as the mist slowly dispersed to reveal if he had won. Something in mist appeared and it looked human with a jacket billowing softly in the wind just outside the ring. Deku allowed himself a small smile when it was revealed to have been an ice decoy!

Class 1-A and everyone else were surprised as well when the next move happened. His weakened state dulled his senses so he turned around a second too late to see Todoroki flanking him. His left side set ablaze with bright orange and red when he aimed it right at Deku's right side.

"IZUKU!" Momo, Inko, and several others shouted when the bi-colored teen fired away. It twisted and snarled across the arena as if it were alive when it reached the green teen. He weakly turned to his left and tried summoning some power for a punch, but the inferno already consumed him when he did.

"THIS FIRE-!" Deku screamed as the fire ate away at him. The skin on his hand and arm almost melting while uselessly trying to protect the rest of him. The heat was overwhelming. Consciousness was slipping and suddenly time stopped yet his eyes could move.

" _ **Fight."**_ A voice muttered. His pupils shrunk as he looked at the center of the inferno. Eight shadowy figures stood in front of it each one with rainbow colored eyes. One looking like All Might began to chant, " _ **Fight. Fight! FIGHT!"**_

Then in the middle of the eight, a small green light appeared before expanding into another figure. A figure that looked exactly like him. It had white eyes to give it the only features it had when it walked toward Izuku.

The teen couldn't move as it opened its hand and thrust it into his chest. Izuku felt something wrap around his heart and squeeze it. It began to pump his heart faster and faster as Izuku could only look on helplessly at these mysterious figures. His black pupils faded away and his irises turned into a heavenly green.

The figures chants turned to orbs and flew into the second Izuku while their chants echoed in his ears like a war drum. Finally, his doppleganger turned into stream of light entering his chest. A bright green circle formed and Izuku could only hear one thought before the light of the fire blinded him.

' _I-Is this what he meant?'_

 **KABOOM!**

A massive fireball consumed half the arena as Todoroki burned half of his top away. Black smoke covered them as the crowd pondered what happened. ' _I win Midoriya.'_

"Holy shit did he kill him!" Mineta broke the silence.

"Shut it dude!" Kaminari said.

Ochako felt a spike of fear pierce her heart as Midnight didn't see a body outside the ring. Takahashi grabbed onto the railing to get down there when something sharp stabbed his head. A splitting headache sent him on his knees. His senses were going overboard.

"Takahashi!" All might shouted. "Takahashi are you alright."

"H-He did it. That kid..." He tried to say more, but it felt like his head was splitting open. "I-It's so powerful. Too powerful! How can...How can Izuku have something like this!"

"What are you talking about? Takahashi!" Then a pulse of energy dispersed the dust. Todoroki lifted his arm to cover from it when he regretted every decision that brought him to this moment.

Takahashi tried pulling himself up to get a look when shock was the understatement of the century. "Izuku, you can access that level? How?"

Across Japan, the Shinketsu students heard two large thuds on the table. They turned to see Vali and Danju clutching their heads in agony.

"Mr. Jugo, Danju! What's going on?!"

"Give them space you two and call someone with a medical quirk!" The trio moved to get help as Vali looked at the screen in complete disbelief. Danju did the same and the pain was only being added on when the smoke was pushed away.

Mitsuki's eyes were as wide as dinner plates. "I-Inko. What is that?"

Inko didn't answer as she couldn't even focus on her friend's distress much less her own.

Class 1-A wasn't having the best time either. Katsuki looked at the arena with his pupils shrunk. The familiar claw of fear gripped his heart. Jirou and Kaminari felt their breathing growing more shallow while Momo covered her mouth with her hands in horror. Kirishima pointed at the arena with a shaky finger.

"Th-This again?"

Everyone else in class looked Deku and knew this wasn't him. It was a force of nature that wrecked a powerful villain and it reared its head back here. Ochako could still feel the power of his gaze even if he wasn't looking at her.

At the villains hideout, Shigaraki almost fell over. All for One looked at him before noticing the sheer display of power being shown. The power that went against their greatest Nomu.

"That's really him Father! That's the guy who burned Nomu!" Shigaraki rarely ever sounded like this. And this Midoriya seemed to possess something even greater than One for All.

Todoroki almost stumbled back in fear as he saw what was waiting for him. Deku stood up straight with burn marks all over him. His tank top was torn and revealed the green circle in his chest. His bangs lifted up to reveal his pupiless eyes.

Midnight couldn't say anything as the crowd itself and even people outside the arena felt an overbearing presence going on. Mt. Lady, Kamui Woods, and Death Arms could feel their knees shaking when they looked at the screen.

"What the hell?"

Deku stood looking at the sky as each burn mark faded. His body repairing most damage. Most. As his left arm kept a nasty burn scar from his elbow to the tricep. Slowly his head tilted back down as he looked at Todoroki.

Todoroki could barely move as Deku pointed at him.

" _ **You're mine."**_ His voice echoed.


	27. Chapter 27

The entire world seemed to be held within the grasp of the new Izuku Midoriya. Grasping desperately at the railing, Takahashi tried straightening himself up while dealing with the waves of power pulsing through him and the crowd.

"Takahashi what is this?" His earpiece buzzed. It was Nezu. "Should we stop it?"

"Have Midnight be ready to rip her sleeve, but don't do anything to aggravate him. Right now he's focused on Todoroki." Finally feeling the pain subside slightly, he got up and his irses turned blue. "It's too dangerous to encounter him in this crowd."

Todoroki stepped back slightly at the words and felt his body shiver a lot and not from the ice. Yet after a moment, he finally calmed himself down and narrowed his eyes. "You would really pull that out on me? Guess I was a little too liberal with that last attack."

Deku tilted his head in a confused manner. His rival slammed his hand on the ground and summoned another mountain of ice. Spikes of ice erupted and tried to land on Deku. He disappeared into the mass and Todoroki could feel the sting of his frostbite get him. Heating it up, he quickly looked around for any sign of his opponent when he saw a figure on top.

Standing atop the ice, Deku looked down with cold eyes. Clenching his fists, a growl reverberated in his throat when a heavenly green covered his body.

" **RAAAAAH!"** The ground shook and the ice cracked as Deku brought out a pillar of light from within. As he roared, a beam of energy burst from his mouth and punched in the clouds above.

Takahashi was running down to the field when he collapsed again. The amount of power was overwhelming every bit of his sixth sense. He couldn't distinguish who was who or muster enough strength to run. All he could do was stumble toward the field entrance.

"M-Midnight."

"Takahashi." She replied in awe of the light show before her. "Wait, are you okay?!"

"Peachy. Have a hand on your sleeve ready. If anytime this battle goes south you need to knock the combatants out!" He winced at the last word as he fell to his knees. It's been over many years since he's encountered power like this. It was the same at the USJ yet back then he managed to adjust his pain tolerance as they got closer. He was able to acclimate.

Now he couldn't. It's as if a large tsunami washed over him and refused him to even break the surface for air. But this would not stop him. Not when such a dangerous entity is before him.

' _I might even have to use "that technique" if it calls for it. How long has it been? Three...no four decades and with the lack of practice it can probably give me ten seconds. Damn it all.'_

Takahashi got up and entered the field as the mountain of ice was cut right through with fire. Todoroki had his hand extended outward to cut through the ice and possibly knock Deku off. The teen fell back to the ground on an icy platform before flipping it over and kicking it.

Todoroki created an ice path and managed to get away from it crushing him. He managed to move across the arena and slid to a halt when Deku landed back on the concrete, caving in the floor. His eyes did not leave Todoroki and kept track of his movements.

"You've definitely changed Midoriya. Though I'm wondering if you're willing to test out our fire!" Todoroki's left side lit up. His body was aching from all the temperature changes and his proficiency with his own flames was far from perfect to that of his ice. "Come on!"

Momo crossed her hands. "Todoroki. How can you goad him when you know what he's capable of."

Iida stood astonished as Deku stepped out of the crater. "Th-this was what you were all talking about. Such presence from Midoriya."

"It's not Deku." Ochako muttered. The name had Deku stop in his tracks as he turned to his class. Everyone froze as he stared right at them. Momo almost summoned a shield out of instinct, but managed to grab Ochako's hand in some vain form of comfort.

"WELL?!" Todoroki shouted. Deku turned back to his opponent and Todoroki saw Takahashi behind him. He was ready and with a quick glance to his side, Midnight had her sleeve ready to rip. Cemontoss had his hands on his stand. Even the teachers were ready for anything. "COME AT ME MIDORIYA!"

Deku growled and a light travelled from his chest and into his throat. The chakra within activated something as his head shook violently. Opening his mouth, a massive cone of fire erupted out of him like a wild volcano.

Todoroki let out a war cry and waved his left hand out. A similar sized cone of fire came from him and the two met in the middle. A wild tornado of green and orange rose up to become a titanic pillar. Deku began to walk forward and Todoroki could see his fire begin to be overwhelmed.

' _DAMN IT!'_

"Takahashi!" Midnight called out. "Todoroki is being overwhelmed, do I need to make them sleep now?"

"Not yet!" The nurse charged up. "Unless Izuku takes a step for a fatal blow, keep the battle going."

Todoroki saw the flames getting closer to him as Deku took another step, not even running out of breath. Endeavour looked on in complete shock and horror at what laid before him. His son, his creation that inherited both the powers of his wife and himself was losing a fire battle. His flames were supposed to be more powerful than Touya's, than him! Yet now the upstart he talked to in the hall was making a mockery of that.

' _I...I don't get it! I read that this boy has an energy manipulation quirk, but what part of that covers fire breathing! This is impossible. This IS-'_ Something inside snapped as his eyes turned bloodshot.

"DON'T YOU LOSE THIS!" His fiery display spiked up as he watched. "DEFEAT THIS FOOL AND PROVE YOUR STRENGTH! SHOTO!"

' _I'm really focusing on trying to stay alive you stupid old man!'_ Todoroki said before the fireball between the two began to shift closer towards him. Todoroki could feel his strength in his fire fail him while Deku took another step forward. It grew and grew until Deku and Todoroki got an idea. Deku's closed fist began to vibrate as he opened it to a bright white orb with a rainbow outline. His opponent clenched his right fist and felt the force of a blizzard stir violently in him. ' _Midoriya's power didn't last too long when he fought Nomu. It has to be the same here! I'll end this with my strongest attack before he gets me! My ultimate ice attack!'_

"BLIZZARD-"

" _ **STAR-"**_

"BARRAGE!"

" _ **BREAKER!"**_

The two pulled out their next attack and the ice and energy collided with the fireball. In that final moment, the two were consumed in all white. Deku looked Todoroki in the eye. Todoroki did the same. Even with the fear of Deku's power, Todoroki took a bit of pride in himself that he was able to push him to it, with the power he forced him to use. He mouthed something when the light consumed him. Deku saw that his pupils returned before the light covered him.

Takahashi saw this and clapped his hands. He appeared right in front of Midnight and Cementoss.

"Taka-!" She shouted before he opened his hands.

" _Barrier Style- Fortitude Dome!_ " He shouted. A blue dome covered the arena as the ball exploded. Deku and Todoroki were lost in the blast while Midnight and Takahashi were launched back. He managed to use the force to flip their position and held her when they crashed into the wall. Cementoss shielded himself in a concrete dome and the crowd covered their eyes before the light died down.

Momo and the others finally opened their eyes to see the blue dome still intact. "Izuku, Todoroki!"

Present Mic and Aizawa were silent for most of the exchange when the blonde leaned into the microphone. "D-Does anyone see our combatants?"

Midnight struggled to open her eyes when she felt her hand grip onto something solid. "Are you okay?"

"Hm?" She managed to crack one open and saw the lower half of Takahashi's face. A bit blood was dripping onto his shirt and jacket. "Takahashi?!"

The hero looked up to see the sides of his face had some blood on it. He nodded and she saw that he softened their impact to the wall with his body. She scrambled up and tried apologizing when he held up his hand for silence.

"Check on the students." His head wasn't in the right place, but he hoped that he was sensing two. Midnight reluctantly turned her back on him and went back to the dome that was slowly breaking apart.

When she reached the end, her eyes widened at the level of damage. Almost the entire arena was in rubble. There was a gigantic hole in the center and the only thing left for them was a sliver of the arena.

"Wh-What happened?" Mic asked. "C-Can anyone see what happened?"

Inko clenched her hands in a prayer as everyone waited for Midnight to answer their call. The dust settled and she could see two figures. Shoto Todoroki was completely shirtless and resting quite peacefully in an ice barrier that caught him outside the ring.

Turning her head, she saw his opponent. Midoriya had his arm outstretched before falling to his side. It was bloody, purple, and limp. The clear signs of it being broken. Unlike his classmate's, Midoriya's eyes were open even if it was slightly out of it.

Midnight measured his distance from the center and saw it just an inch away from crossing the outbounds line.

"I-Izu…" She cleared her throat. "Izuku Midoriya wins the round by way of ring out by Shoto Todoroki!"

The crowd was silent before Present Mic knew he needed to alleviate their worries.

"ALL RIGHT! WHAT AN EXPLOSIVE BATTLE TO OUR GREAT UPCOMING HEROES!"

The crowd's demeanor swept away any dredges of fear and began cheering! People were clapping and whooping at one of the greatest battles they've seen in recent memory. Takahashi finally got up from the crater in the wall and spat out a wad of blood when he saw the medical robots pick the two up.

"Good grief."

A few minutes passed and Present Mic called for a break for both Cementoss to fix the arena and the crowd to resettle. The blonde groaned in relief as he leaned back against his chair and turned off their mics.

"Oh God that was so rough. I thought you were gonna have two dusted students. Heck even crater to where this arena was."

"We were only saved by Takahashi and his barrier. I'm really impressed with Todoroki for standing his ground against such power."

"That reminds me, what the hell was that Midoriya kid on! It felt like All Might if he was roided out!"

"Dunno, but it was enough to spook our resident nurse. He knows more than he lets on." Aizawa said. He crossed his arms. "We obviously saw how powerful was during the USJ. He was capable of keeping pace with All Might yet seemed afraid of what Midoriya has become. This too much of a headache."

Mic scratched his head. "So what do we do?"

"Have faith Takahashi." The two turned and saw Nezu walking towards them. "I believe he was more taken off guard than scared of what was going on. And if there's anything that may concern us he shall tell then we shall accommodate."

"What if he doesn't?"

"We are heroes Aizawa. We stick our noses into things that are not our business that we think are dangerous on their own. Midoriya is a U.A student as well and it would be in our best interest to protect and nurture him properly. Even if it is against the wishes of Takahashi."

The two silently looked at each other and agreed with the principal. They turned back into the arena as it was being repaired.

In the nurse's office Takahashi walked in as Chiyo was working hard on the two while All Might was tending to Midoriya. A few kissing noises and Todoroki was tucked quietly in bed before some ear plugs was put in. She turned to Izuku and huffed. "This boy. I must admit he's the only one who's had consistent injuries to this arm in quite awhile. I also suspect you "

"Still he's shown quite the will of a hero. Even if he's got...something else." All Might said when he brushed some of Midoriya's hair out of his face.

"How bad is it?" They turned and saw their companion. It was quite a sight. One would think he took on a villain with blood caked to his face and the white coat now dirtied by dust. Yet he walked in like it was another day in the office.

"What happened to you?"

He turned to Izuku. "That last blast before these two came in would've destroyed the arena and possibly the first row stands. I covered them, but I was blown back. My cuts have healed, it's just dry blood."

"Well that's not a good look regardless. Wash up while I heal Midoriya."

He nodded but before he could splash some water on his face All Might asked, "Takahashi. Do you know what the hell just happened to Young Midoriya? I honestly felt something and I can't even sense chakra like you."

"That's because that form is known as-" Suddenly a bit of presence could be sensed. He turned to the door and opened it. A few people dropped in and one umpire was there trying to reign them in.

"You didn't need to rush!" Midnight yelled. Takahashi glanced at her before looking slightly downward. On the floor was Mina, Ochako, and Momo. The three girls seemed very concerned. Behind them were Jirou, Tsuyu, Toru, Mineta, and Iida.

"Mr. Takahashi!" Iida said loudly. "What is the condition of Midoriya and Todoroki? Will they be alright?"

"Does he need some orange slices? I bought some from one of the stands with my winnings." Mineta said as he held a container of the fruit in his hands. Takahashi raised an eyebrow on winnings, but turned to the girls. The first three seemed especially worried.

Recovery Girl huffed and walked towards the group. "Todoroki is fine. It seemed his ice was durable enough to tank the explosion. Though he will be out for awhile. As for Midoriya, I suspect he'll do fine once Takahashi heals the rest of him."

She eyed him and signalled that meant he needs some chakra. Takahashi raised his hand and fired a ball at the boy. Blue light enveloped him before sinking into his skin. "Give him a minute. He should up soon."

Izuku's eyes fluttered open as he turned over. "Why does everything hurt?"

"Once again the excellence of U.A's staff does wonders! Midoriya, how're you feeling?" The green boy looked at them before getting a childish smirk. He reached over and booped Iida's nose. "Midoriya?!"

"You're funny." He turned to Mineta. "And you're funny looking." The purple boy's head tilted at the weird comment.

Momo went pale as Jirou got a little grin on her face while the other girls were confused by his demeanor when Takahashi stepped in. "Alright, alright. Before any of you ask, Izuku is currently in a state of reduced maturity. His brain overloaded on power and so when he's conscious, he acts like a child."

"Hooo!" Izuku sat up and looked at the group before seeing. "My snuggly buddy!"

"EH?!" Everyone said as Momo was screaming in her head at both how adorable it was and humiliating to be referred as such. "What the heck?!"

He latched onto Momo quickly and snuggled against her neck. ' _No! Why does it have to happen in front of people!'_

"M-Midoriya! You are the class rep, you cannot just touch your female classmates like that so haphazardly!"

"He's right. Deku, please you gotta get off!" Izuku turned to Ochako with a curious look before poking her in the cheek. "Wh-wha-?"

"You're soft. Like mochi!" He flashed a bright smile. A smile that was deemed too cute by Hagakure and Tsu. Ochako got so embarrassed that she began to float in the air. Takahashi went to pull her down when Mina moved in her place.

"And what about me Midori?" She asked excitedly.

He let go of Momo slowly and the rich girl pulled back to get her breath and blush under control as Izuku looked on with such curiosity before reaching over and petting her. The girl was surprised when he grazed her horns.

"Kyah! M-Midori, that's sensitive!" She whined.

"But you're so cool and pink." He replied. "So cute like my snuggly buddy!"

"Stop calling me that Izuku! Please address me by my name in front of others!" Momo whined.

Jirou raised an eyebrow. "In front of others? You mean you're fine with him calling you that by yourselves. Wow Yaomomo, you work fast. You guys are cuddle buddies?"

"Wh-Wh-What are you saying Jirou?! Why would you insinuate that! I am a friend! Friends do not convert on such illicit actions. I would never do such a thing!" Her mind flashed back to when she slept in his bed with him. She turned beet red and curled into a ball. "No such thing has happened!"

Mina squealed again as Izuku touched her horns again. Takahashi looked at them before pulling Ochako down. This was a bigger problem than he thought. Mineta clenched his fist in anger, but at the same time was feeling great pride in Midoriya achieving such status with the girls. Unfair as it was, he was trying to be a good friend. Iida had no idea of what was going on.

The two other teachers didn't interfere. Midnight cooed at the sight of youth while All Might took in the childish Midoriya.

"Ok. I think we should end this before it gets too weird. Kero." A tongue wrapped around Midoriya's waist and pulled him away.

"Wha-Tsu! Why did you do that?" Mina asked with flushed expression. "I wasn't done!"

' _Is...Is she aware?'_ Takahashi said as Ochako released her control over her body yet was blushing red at the cheek poke. Jirou managed to get Momo out of her ball and get up when they turned and saw Midoriya laying against Tsu's lap. ' _Oh how kind.'_

"This is...nice." Midoriya said as he looked at Tsu. She smiled at him and began to pet his head. The motion was actually relaxing and with her small ribbits lulled him to sleep. "I'm sleepy."

"Then go to sleep. We'll be here." Tsu said. There almost seemed to be a flowery aura around the two and the three main girls were caught between throes of cooing at the two or dealing with the spikes of jealousy. Jirou rubbed her headphones nervously as Izuku turned to her. His sleepy green eyes and soft smile were a bit much for her sight.

"Are you sure? But I didn't say hi to the adorable purple eyed girl. Or the pretty invisible one."

"What?" Toru and Kyokya asked in shock. ' _Adorable? He can't think of me like that. Of course he can't! He thinks Yaoyorozu is teddy bear!'_

"You can say hi to them later, but you need to sleep. You did a lot today." Tsu almost whispered. Izuku finally closed his eyes and fell asleep. "Whew that was nice."

Takahashi whistled in approval as he lifted Izuku's torso off Tsu's lap. The frog girl moved as he tucked him in. "You did a good job with him. I suppose you have siblings."

"Yeah I do. They use to go to sleep like that whenever my parents or I did it. I thought Izu would do the same."

"Well thank you. I was karate chop him again, but that was a better method. Now I must ask all of you to go. The second rounds are gonna begin and I don't want any one of you staying behind." He glanced at the main trio. "No matter how much you want to. These two will recover well and I'll pass on your regards."

"Follow me." Midnight said as she opened the door.

Most of them nodded and left. Mineta hopped onto Iida before they left and handed the orange slices.

"If Midoriya does not recover in time, tell him I will win the tournament for him. If he does let him know I will gladly face him on the battlefield soon enough!" Iida said boastfully.

Mineta raised an eyebrow while riding on his shoulders. "Geez you must really want a go at Midoriya even after all that you've seen. You carry a determination that I use for my passion of-"

"No need to explain Mineta. I am well aware of carnal desires despite how unheroic it seems."

"Hey I am a man with an honest outlook on my life. The ladies will come with the hero's journey." Mineta retorted as they left. With the boys gone, Momo was the only one near the doorway. "Takahashi."

"Hm?"

"That power. That Izuku used. Do you know what it is?" She turned to him. Takahashi took a moment before nodding. "I just have to know...is it dangerous?"

"All power is dangerous, but Izuku would be the last person to use it lethally. He's a good kid and I trust his abilities. As should you." She winced at the implication before leaving. "Good grief, you're becoming quite the handful. Now let's really fix that arm."

A moment has passed before Takahashi turned to All Might. "You've been quiet for awhile. What's on your mind?"

"Ah it's nothing. Tsukauchi just gave some information before Midoriya's fight and told me to tell you anything of interest. Well there's some information, but...it doesn't bode well for Young Midoriya."

"Does it ever?" Takahashi said while turning Izuku. His arm was the only significant injury to heal. "Izuku's path to a hero is a responsibility I share with you and with One for All a secret that binds us all i'm think I'm privy to some information."

All Might looked at his hands and deflated. "It has to do with the villain that damaged me years ago and the very purpose of One for All. Young Midoriya should be awake to hear this news."

Takahashi noted that and began to apply new bandages to Midoriya's arm. A blue glow touched it as he turned to All Might. "I have to give him news about this new power he's acquired."

He reached into his bag and pulled out an ancient scroll. Text of an unknown language was scribbled on there as he held it in front of All Might. "This scroll contains information of a form/technique not seen within the millennium. No one, not even myself has ever encountered it in person but I'm well aware of the damage it can cause."

All Might held the scroll in his hands and rolled it open. The text was so forgein to him. "Don't bother reading it. I'm the only one who can. Why don't you get a plate ready for the two when they wake up. I plan on giving Midoriya the talk first as it is more closer to his condition."

"Of course my friend. I'll tell my news after the Sports Festival. I want Young Midoriya to focus on taking the first step to becoming the Symbol of Peace."

Chiyo and Midnight returned while All Might was currently cutting some apples to go alongside the orange slices Mineta bought for him.

"Well I heard how the boy was. Is he feeling any better?"

"Enough to wake up soon." Takahashi said and didn't notice the cool rag on his face. "Hey!"

"You still have blood on you. You were too busy healing the boys to clean yourself up." Midnight said. Takahashi opened his mouth to protest, but decided not to. Chiyo got a sly grin on her face as she watched the two.

After cleaning him up, Takahashi felt something approaching them. "Hold on you guys. Someone's coming."

"Huh? Takahashi, wait." Midnight started before feeling something warm approach them. Around the corner Endeavour was furiously stomping towards the recovery room. Midnight knew it was wiser to avoid the number two like that than talk to him. She signalled at Recovery Girl and All Might on who it was. Especially when saying livid was putting it mildly on how he was feeling.

Endeavour gritted his teeth as he could imagine his face. That green upstart made a mockery of Shoto and by proxy him. And his fire was the most infuriating part of it all. How could something like that even surpass his creation? That boy was a problem for Shoto's ascension.

"You know if you keep that up. The entire sprinkler system will go off and Power Loader spared no expense on making it good."

"Move. Nurse. I must see my son."

"Your son is resting and while I love the fatherly attention you're trying to give, it's best he doesn't roast while you talk to him." He crossed his arms and narrowed his gaze. Endeavour gave a surprised grunt. The expression was even more unnerving than it would normally be. Yet rage was a good thing to have.

"I could care less on what you have to say. I need to see my son." He took another step forward and Takahashi could see that he stood a good foot over him. Comparably to All Might's buff form.

"No."

The icy blue eyes of the number two hero widened in rage. "You dare?"

"I have a job to do and let's face the facts. Your son lost. I suggest you get over it and realize he needs proper work and care to further his abilities. Something I don't think you're suited for." Takahashi sneered. "At least your boy can learn what not to do with his power."

Midnight and All Might peeked over at the doorway as Endeavour's face was contorting into a massive ball of fury. Everything slowed down as he lunged before something solid hit him. He stumbled back a little with some blood on his lips.

' _Takahashi what're you doing?!'_ The two yelled in their heads.

"How did you?" He looked at the nurse and saw his hands in his pockets. "Why you-?!"

"Again. Don't blow a fuse, the sprinklers are pretty rough and we'd have to close out the halls if you do such a thing. The media would be wondering how that might've happened."

Endeavour took in a deep breath and took one challenging step. "You are becoming a nuisance. Walk into my home and interfere with how I try to aim my son's destiny. What more can you do to antagonize me?"

Takahashi gave a blank look at him before turning his back. "Izuku Midoriya is my student. Everything he's learned, he learned from me."

A bullet could've gone through his head and it still wouldn't have been as painful as hearing that. His body moved on his own and he tried one more lunge.

"YOU!" He stopped in his tracks when blue tendrils came out of nowhere and restrained him. Takahashi's eyes darkened to a royal blue as he held him in place. "Let go of me!"

"After you give your word to leave. If you still wish to see your son, I'll let you know when he wakes up. However it's up to him if he wants to hear from you."

"You. You're no ordinary man. Your quirk is confusing and strong. One might even say matching All Might's level." He stopped struggling. The anger seemed to be moving in favor of curiosity. "And you trained that boy of yours to stand to Shoto. Even without proper control of his flames, my son is a strong combatant. You have all this strength yet you hide it from the world."

Takahashi tightened his bonds and Endeavour sneered. "One hides only from the world if he's a coward of what he's capable of. I'm right aren't I?"

The bonds tightened, but Endeavour's expression didn't change as the nurse gritted his teeth. "Takahashi. Takahashi! Let him go or I'll take both of you down."

A brief moment passed before he reluctantly let go. The bonds slacked and slowly disappeared. The Number Two hero rubbed some of the sore areas when he turned to Midnight."That was none of your business harlot. I could've gotten out if I so desire."

A crack was heard and the hallway's atmosphere seemed to have shifted into heavily. Endeavour could barely twitch a muscle as he looked down to see the cracks underneath Takahashi's boot. Fear crashed like a tidal wave and extinguished the flames on his face.

"Call my friend that again." Takahashi threatened. Endeavour instinctively took a step back.

"OK! That's enough friends!" The two turned and shot a glare at who interrupted them. All Might stood nearby and internally shivered at how scary the two looked. "HAHA! Ah Endeavour, it has been quite awhile since I've laid eyes on you old friend. I see you and Takahashi have met."

"Step away All Might, you don't need to interfere and you shut up." All Might sweatdropped as the two said at the same time right at him.

Scratching his nose, he walked towards Endeavour and put a hand on his shoulder. "Now, now. There's no need for hostility. We're all here to commend these young boys for a supreme job displaying their potential. Shouldn't we all get along that way."

"No." The two said while still staring at each other.

' _Geez it's like a stereo.'_ Midnight said as Endeavour shrugged All Might off.

The Number Two hero stomped away. "I will be back to check on my son. And if you antagonize me any further, nurse, I'll show you the true power of my flames."

"Let me get a frying pan ready then."

Endeavour turned fast and stomped fast around the corner. A loud crack was heard and someone yelled about fixing a wall. All Might some sweat off as he turned to Takahashi. The two shared a glance before he shrugged. "Whoops."

 _WHACK!_

"OW!"

"Whoops? You antagonize a dangerous hero like him and you say whoops!" Chiyo said as she jumped up and wacked him on the head with a cane. He caught her next strike and disarmed her. "You still have that problem of probing people you don't like."

"Something's never change." Recovery Girl almost growled something out, but restrained herself. Hopping down, she went to check on her two patients when Midnight rubbed her arm.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Can't have someone talking shit about my friend that way." She glanced at him and saw his blue eyes looking right at her. They were just as welcoming as when he took care of her hangover.

Midnight nodded and went to the doorway. "Well the arena should be fixed and the show must go on. I'll see you later Taka-baby! Have a good day." She bid adieu and left fast.

"Why does she call me that?" Takahashi asked as he crossed his arms. All Might shrugged as Recovery Girl rolled her eyes.

Across Japan, two people were being looked over. "Mr. Vali are you sure you're fine?"

"Completely Yoarashi. I think for the time being I'll take a walk. A little time out should deal with this weird headache besides I have some work to attend. Danju." His son looked at him. "Stay with your friends. I'm sure they'll take care of you."

"Are you sure father? We can go home."

Vali patted his son's head. "Nonsense boy. You've been quite excited to watch this year's Sports Festival and I wish not to take that away. Besides you might find someone of interest there."

"Like that Midoriya dude. He was totally lit during that fight." Camie commented.

Shishikura snorted. "As if. U.A is quite a flashy group, but that power is very concerning. They had to use some weird barrier to stop it. Possibly a new measurement."

' _You're not wrong. It was a barrier, but one made of chakra. I still haven't seen his face so I can't confirm if it is him.'_ Vali thought frustrated. "Danju, take your time finding anyone of interest. It would be good to find someone worth studying for the provisional exams coming next semester."

"Yes father. I will keep an eye out." Danju said as he looked back at the screen. The next few matches were going and it was one of the Class 1-A students. He didn't really note which one it was though. "Have a good day father."

"You too. I'll at home."

Vali left the group and walked out of the building. Taking out his phone, a few missed calls were there. Shaking off any lingering bits of pain, Vali was immensely curious to what he witnessed before the headache. Though it was a question for another day.

"I'm here."

 _-Boss, thank goodness. I thought-_

"I was busy being with my son. You only call if you have anything or anyone of interest. Which is it?" The tone was sharp.

 _-Uh, actually it's both. Using some old connections th-that you didn't kill, I found one of the recruiters for the League of Villains. I talked to them like you asked and I was happy to get an appointment. I can send an address when it comes to that.-_

"Good. I see it was wise of me to keep you alive after slaughtering most of your gang. Now for the individual."

 _-W-Well I've been following some nearby hero agencies for any potential gang members or villains. And I found a good one being tracked by the Ingenium agency in Hosu City. They call him the Hero Killer. A prolific assassin that killed over fifteen heroes. Ingenium is on the case.-_

"Hoho. I see, but it looks like if we want someone called a Hero Killer, I would have to be there. Stand by and if you have any information on the Hero Killer's location send them my way. I'll be in Hosu soon." He hung up the phone and walked into an alleyway. He took in a deep breath. A pink aura wrapped around Vali as his gray eyes turned the same color. "I love my other job."

His body turned into a pure energy and disappeared.

Back at U.A stadium the second round fights have passed by when Izuku's eyes suddenly opened. He sat up and saw All Might spitting out blood in surprise. "All Might, everyone!"

"Calm down Izuku." A hand grasped onto his shoulder. Takahashi held up the plate of fruit and Izuku drooled at the sight of it. He scarfed them down fast as Takahashi sat down. "How do you feel?"

"My throat feels dry." Izuku said as he tired sucking all the juice from the orange slices. "And my arm…"

He stopped chewing and looked at his arm. Realizing it was just his left that was moving. Recovery Girl went to his side and unwrapped his arm while All Might took the plate away. He held his arms out and saw the extent of the damage.

"You have a burn scar on your left from trying to punch away Todoroki's fire. And your right arm was completely shattered when your combined fire attacks almost blew up the arena. We did away with the surgery option, but the attacks still scarred your limbs and disfigured a few fingers." Recovery Girl explained. "Now take this as a lesson to know your own limits or else you'll destroy your own body."

Izuku tried to take in all the information as he locked onto phrase. "Combined...fire attacks? But...holy crap."

He looked at Takahashi. "Wh-What happened to me?! The last thing I really remember was Todoroki blasting me with his fire and then...and then some people appeared and pumped my heart and-"

All Might stopped him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Calm down Young Midoriya, we can get through this, but you need to calm down. Ok?"

"I...I saw people. Nine of them. There shrouded in shadows, but I could see they had human figures. One even looked like you, All Might. And the last one was green and looked like me, but his eyes were white and he grabbed my heart. Some green circle was on me."

Takahashi's brow furrowed. "Do remember anything else? Before or after?"

"They chanting a word. It was "Fight". Fight was the only thing they said and everything afterwards felt like a dream. I...I breathed fire and moved so fast. D-Did I hurt anyone? Todoroki!"

He turned to the bed and saw Todoroki with his arms bandaged. Izuku's guilt racked up as he saw his rival's condition. "What did I do?"

"You ascended. Even if it was for a couple minutes." Izuku turned to Takahashi with confusion etched on his face. "You need to know the truth. It's one I found hard to believe, but the after the USJ I have no choice but to accept it."

He turned to All Might and the Number One hero passed him the scroll. Unravelling it, Takahashi held it in front of Izuku. Illustrated in the middle along with ancient text, the illustration held similar physical traits to Izuku's form. "The form is holds power carried deep within the soul. Few have ever studied it and fewer have ever attained it. However in this day and age, I would call it the Warrior's Resolve."

"The Warrior's Resolve." Izuku repeated.

"It said that one in tuned with power can access their latent abilities in the face of death or the need to step up. It's something I've never attained and I've been using this power for quite some time. One of the requirements is the power of others which I believe involves One for All."

"What?!" Everyone asked shocked.

Takahashi crossed his arms as he explained. "The text is something I have trouble deciphering, but what bits I have uncovered say that the user must carry the will of others alongside great power within. And Izuku just said there were nine other people inside him."

"Young Midoriya is the ninth user and I'm eighth. You can see the past users?" All Might asked. Izuku didn't know how to respond as Takahashi removed his hat to rub his temples in contemplation.

"It makes sense in a way. The abilities of chakra are a manifestation of one's inner talents and soul. And with One for All infused in his body, I wouldn't be surprised if the previous users left something behind in it. Perhaps a fragment of power or even their soul. However I think you should have access to this power."

"Huh?"

"Do not misinterpret my words. In time you may need this power, but you can't even control One for All and your chakra abilities are far from refined to a master's degree. How can you be trusted with something that goes beyond even my understanding without proper control of your powers?"

Izuku clenched his fists in his lap. 30% was his limit on One for All and he could only do that in bursts. It seemed more like 20% was the manageable limit. Along with his chakra, he's powerful but each fight has left him utterly exhausted. If he was a hero, he needed to be able to run gauntlets should the need arise.

"You were smart to combine them into Full Chakra Cowling. That's a technique I'm perfectly fine with you using. I, however, do not see you using the Warrior's Resolve with the care it needs."

All Might nodded. "He does have a point Young Midoriya. One for All is dangerous enough and with this new knowledge of seeing the other users brings out more questions for you."

"I...understand. Just tell me, was anyone scared?"

"I was." Takahashi said as he patted Midoriya's head. "Along with your mother and some of your friends. Power is something that must be treated with great respect and fear. It scares me more that you can access all this and you're this young. I trust you be careful."

"Heh well it doesn't activate unless I nearly die. Who's on my roster anyways?"

"You slept through the second honestly you had good timing as we were about to pull out due to the last fight. Your possible opponents are Iida. Beat the victor and you'll probably face Bakugou or Tokoyami." Takahashi said when he pulled out his phone. "You only have to worry about one almost killing you."

"Kaachan. And only fight him if I'm beat Iida. Who is in better shape than me and not as exhausted." Izuku said as he stood up. Even after all the healing, his body has taken a toll and the revelation of his power just wore him down mentally. "Sure why not."

A knock on the door was heard, a staff member from the stadium called for Recovery Girl. "Is Izuku Midoriya still ready for battle or should we call it off?"

"No, no! I'm here and I'm ready to fight." Izuku walked out with some stride while feeling a little winded. The staff member nodded and called it in. He turned to the other adults in the room and knew what to say. "I should be fine and if I break another limb I'll stay for recovery."

"About time you said something smart." Recovery Girl mumbled.

"Get going and try to win Izuku. I need to reaffirm and calm your mother when she hears what happens." Takahashi said. Izuku nodded as he got ready for his next fight against the brother of Ingenium.

The route to his side of the arena was clear and Izuku stepped into the light as he saw Iida smiling to see his friend's recovery.

In Hosu City, the same hero jumped back from another slice. "You're fast for a faker."

"Enough villain! You won't spill anymore blood today!" A dark chuckle echoed in the alleyway as the sword shined in the only place of light. "I, Ingenium, will see that through."

"Oh really?" A second voice called out. He turned before something hit him in the eye. Blood spurted from the wound as Ingenium. He screamed in pain as his second eye could only see two pink lights in the dark. "What's one more body to add?"


	28. Chapter 28

"My baby!" Inko shouted. Mitsuki flinched at the outburst as she saw Midoriya walking towards the ring. "How can Takahashi let my baby boy get out like that after the last fight!"

"You passed out for most of the second round fights!"

In the class stands everyone in Class 1-A was watching with surprise as Midoriya walked down to the pathway to the arena.

"Wow. He's really going to fight? I thought he was out of it." Sero said.

"Midoriya has an impressive will to fight and prove himself as a hero." Tokoyami stated as they watched on. Mina looked a bit worried when she saw how he was swaying while walking. It's like he was a zombie. Momo and Ochako showed the same level of concern as he got closer. His eyes were entirely focused, but at the same time glassy.

' _Izuku. Can you still fight? No one would blame you for taking the rest of the tournament off.'_

Bakugou had different thoughts in his head. ' _Fucking Deku. Thinks he can just get right back up after all that shit. Weird power or not, you should've stayed down you piece of shit. If Glasses won't then I will.'_

"And Izuku Midoriya is taking his time to reach the stage. I get that he's had quite a battle before this, but we got to keep the show going!" Present Mic said

Iida vs. Midoriya shined on the screen as he finally reached the steps.

"Geez that walk was a lot longer than I thought." Izuku said to himself as he stepped in the ring. "Am I already winded? I can't be winded. I got a good nap."

Even with his recharge period, he could feel his body bordering near his limit and just the adrenaline from anticipating a new fight was tiring him out. Iida uncrossed his arms and bowed respectfully.

"Midoriya, I am grateful for your fast recovery to face me here. I promise to fight with all my heart."

"Yeah. Me too." Izuku replied as he stretched. Chakra seemed to be too risky at the moment so a good dose of One for All should be what he needs. Pink lightning erupted from his body as his eyes shined.

Present Mic rang the bell. "LET'S GO!"

Iida got the first move as he dashed forward. He went to grab Deku's shoulders and pushed him closer to the edge of the arena. But the green boy caught one of his arms, twisted around, and body slammed him to the ground. Iida spit out some saliva as Deku jumped back.

' _Ok reaction speed is good and his base speed is possible enough for a twenty percent burst.'_ Deku strained for breath. ' _This isn't enough or good though. That "resolve" of mine sapped a good portion of strength and I know Recovery Girl kissed me a few times to heal my arm. Even with Takahashi healing me it-'_

His thoughts were cut off when Iida ran up on him and slammed his exposed side with a kick. Deku screamed in pain as he was flung across the arena. He rolled into a ball and broke out of it when he got closer to the edge.

' _Right I'm fighting a human car. Don't wait and think.'_ Deku said in his head as he got up. His ribs stung and didn't help his breathing. ' _And I can't overpower him like I would normally try.'_

"Midoriya, let's continue this match!" Iida proclaimed as he ran in for another hit. Deku let his instincts takeover and he dodged the kick. Green light erupted and he threw a solid punch to his stomach. Iida spat out some saliva when he was sent back. He landed on his back again as Deku tried regaining his stride.

"Holy crap Midoriya's still got it!" Kaminari shouted.

"No he doesn't." Momo replied. Some of her classmates looked confused. Especially Ochako.

"What do you mean? He's holding his own against Iida. Sure he got a few hits in, but Deku's hanging in there."

Momo shook her head. "Take another look. He's exhausted and he hasn't done that much. He went all out against Todoroki and now has to go against the fastest one in our class. It's simple to see."

"Kind of cold to say Momo." Jirou said.

The rich girl's brow furrowed in worry. Little did she know that the residential nurse was watching from a distance with the same thought. "But it's the truth."

He was breathing hard and switched back to One for All, but the best he could manage was a mere 10%. ' _Shit. I shouldn't have done that. My body's too sensitive and tired to use my chakra or a higher percentage of One for All. Alright time to use my head.'_

Deku punched the ground a few times to shake Iida a little and place a hand in the rubble. The glasses wearing teen stumbled a little before he tried charging again. Running up on his friend, Iida jumped into the air and spun around in the air. Deku looked up in time to cross his arms and catch the blow. It was strong enough to force a knee down on the ground. It cracked when Deku uncrossed his arms and sent Iida back.

"He's relentless." He said to himself as he clutched the piece of stone in his hand. "But so am I!"

With a flick of his thumb, the piece of stone shot out like a bullet. Iida, who was coming in for another strike, put his hand up. The stone embedded itself in his flesh and Iida grunted in pain. He swerved off his path while clutching his hand.

Takahashi raised an eyebrow at the new tactic. Izuku's blasts only came from his chakra. And his current state takes those attacks off the table. Yet he found a way to keep his range.

Deku stood up as he pulled out more pieces of stone from his pocket. "Alright Iida, you want me? Come and get me."

"An interesting tactic to compensate your tired state. Clever, but it won't be enough!" Iida charged and saw Deku fire two more shots. He ducked and weaved under each one as he got ready for an attack. Deku dove out the way and fired another shot. Iida was too slow as he was struck in the shoulder. Not wasting another moment, Deku switched hands and charged his fingers to fifteen percent.

"Delaware Smash!" The air bullet rocketed through the arena as Tenya jumped out of the way. Deku suffered a bit of recoil and numbness in his hand. "You've gotta be shitting me. That's too much?!"

A trail of sweat went down his brow while Iida took out the piece of rock in his hand shoulder. Blood stained his wrist and sports jersey, but that didn't deter him. He showed a tiny grimace of pain. But he was looking at Midoriya with more caution.

Aizawa looked on as Mic was trying to some commentary out of him. "It seems we switched up the tactics. Less flashiness and more strategy. It doesn't help that these two are friends that have an idea of each other's weaknesses."

' _He's right.'_ The two teens thought.

' _Iida's a speedster, but his build has him able to tank some good shots and act as a battering ram. But if there's one thing to really note...'_

' _Midoriya is a close combat fighter with high levels of strength and speed. Plus his aura means he can blast me. But if there's one thing to really note…'_

Iida's engines hummed while Deku's body began to spark with a 10% limit.

' _He's just as smart as he is tough!'_ Iida and Deku jousted with each other. The forearms clashed in the middle of the arena. Deku took another pebble out of his pocket and shot it. Iida twisted out of the way and kicked him in the back. It sent Deku far off closer to the edge.

Catching himself, the green teen broke another section of the floor. It cracked a larger portion of the floor which Deku pulled out and threw like a frisbee. Iida moved out of the way as Deku appeared next to him. Iida blocked the incoming punch and tried grabbing onto Deku's jacket.

"Getting a little handsy, Iida!" He shouted when he moved out of the way towards the center of the arena. "I appreciate the effort though."

"Being a loud mouth won't help you Midoriya. I am aware of you trying to integrate more quips in fights like that American Hero from the past, but it won't be enough." Iida said while dashing towards his opponent.

"What if I tried acting like a villain again? Villains annoy a lot of people by chatter" Deku asked before taking another hit. He was laid flat on his back. The world seemed to spin around him as he let out a pained gasp. "Ok maybe that was wrong. Maybe it's heroes that are the loud mouths. Ow."

He hopped back to his feet when Iida tried rushing him again. Deku unzipped his jacket and held it in front of him before he was hit again. Iida ran right into the cloth and hit nothing. Sliding to a stop, he turned to see Deku tear it off and wrap them like make shift protection.

"Midoriya, I think I'll end this now."

"You're welcome to try." Deku said while trying to have his body shake less.

Blue flames erupted from Iida's engine. "Recipro...BURST!"

"Ah shit." Deku said just before Iida tackled him. He tried digging feet into the ground, but Iida lifted him over his shoulders. The two were getting closer to the edge as Iida could see victory within his grasp.

Suddenly Iida felt his legs burn and he slowed down considerably. Deku took that moment to move his body around and get Iida locked between his legs. Throwing his weight around, he sent his opponent on the ground once more.

"This doesn't make sense. It hasn't even been ten seconds, why did I stop?" He looked at his legs and saw what condition they were in. His mufflers had bits of stone sticking out. "Midoriya, how did you-"

"You were to focused on throwing me out when your Recipro Burst caught me, that you didn't even realize I filled your mufflers to with whatever remained in my pockets and overheating your engine legs." Deku got up and showed his hands with the cloth burning off. "I knew how fast your Recipro Burst was ever since the Cavalry Battle. So I planned out this little scenario if I ever came crossed your path again."

"Holy crap Midori that far ahead?" Mina asked.

"The guy was back into a corner and looks like he hasn't slept in four days. He has to make use of what he's got." Shoji answered. The rest of the class agreed.

Iida couldn't believe the trick when Deku appeared right in front of him. Sparks began to fly when the first punch landed. Then he let his fists rain down, despite how shallow each punch felt, Iida couldn't stop so many from landing when Deku went in for a large uppercut.

Iida felt his teeth rock when he was sent into the air and onto the grass.

"Tenya Iida, Out of Bounds! The winner is Izuku Midoriya!" Deku raised a hand in victory before falling on one knee.

"Yaay." Deku cheered. "I can barely feel my hands now."

Tenya looked at the sky. He lost and by such an unforeseen tactic at that. Something overshadowed him and he saw Izuku standing over him. He put out his hand and Iida accepted it. The two walked off as Takahashi was waiting.

The two helped take the stones out. "Thank you. And good match Midoriya."

Izuku scratched the back of his head. "Aw you too. I honestly thought I was going to lose that match but-"

"Tenya Iida." The trio looked to see one of the workers. "A call from your mother."

"Ah she must've seen the match and wants to talk to me. Maybe my brother is on the line." Iida turned to Midoriya. "I'll be back at the stands soon. Just keep my seat ready."

"Of course." A twinge of pain made him wince. "After I take a minute to deal with my ribs."

Iida looked a little bashful, but Takahashi took him away to heal. He was given the phone and answered. "Hello mother. I assume you saw the match. I apologize for my performance I bet Tensei...what? What do you mean?!"

His heart dropped like a rock at the news.

 _A few minutes Before Iida and Deku's Match_

Ingenium clutched his eye as he turned to the unknown person. The shadows covered the body and the only thing he could see was his pink eyes. Stain jumped back defensively when Ingenium fell to the ground.

"That was quick." Vali said. He stepped on Ingenium and pushed him back in the ground. "Now for you."

"Stay back!" Stain pointed his blade at him and Vali raised his hands up in surrender. The air grew tense as Stain tried to read the man, but nothing could be assessed. He looked like a simple office worker with no real significant powers. Yet he was able to break the helmet and pierce the eye of his foe.

"Hold it friend."

Stain stopped as he heard that voice. It was so smooth for three words. It poured into his brain and his perception became hazy. The blade lowered down, Vali stepped forward, and Stain felt his grip slack.

"That's better. I've been following your trail for awhile Hero Killer. And I'm very curious, what do you have that grants you that title? I would like a demonstration." It was so silky smooth and Stain wanted to comply. Vali took another step forward when he heard engines whirring.

"RECIPRO!" The two turned to see Ingenium in a running position. Blue flames erupted out of his pipes. "BURST!"

The two split up when the hero burst through. Vali returned to the shadows on the left as Stain returned to fight on the right. A loud crack rang throughout the alley when Ingenium pulled his leg out. His hand was covering his damaged eye. Breathing rate increased and Tensei Iida turned to see Stain getting close and personal.

A slimy appendage licked between his fingers and tasted his blood. Immediately his body froze. Stain smiled gleefully as he took a knife and moved behind him. Positioning it just right, he plunged the blade and Tensei screamed into the dark.

"Oh you are magnificent." Vali hummed in the shadows. He licked his lips as the violence carried on and he could hear the crack of the hero's spine. "A paralyzing quirk with a taste of blood. How...fascinating."

Stain's eyes widened as he took the knife out. His body...his body just reacted out of nowhere and it seemed to follow this strange man's orders. A demonstration of his quirk. His eyes narrowed. The hero Ingenium was a fake, but a decent fake. One worth keeping alive and well to spread his message. Yet he didn't do it under his own control, but by another. And that pissed him off.

"Stay the hell away from me." His killer intent leaked out and Vali was surprised to see his own chakra back away. Stain threw the knife, it sailed straight through the air and into Vali's hand. It pierced his hand with blood spurting out out. The Hero Killer dashed in to lick it up when he went flying through the air backwards.

Crashing into the wall, Stain slid onto the floor. "Wh-What the hell? I got hit? But he didn't even move."

"Oh my. That was close." Vali said as he examined his wound. "How long has it been since I've seen my blood? I must give you credit. You managed to pierce my skin."

Red steam hissed from the wound as it closed up and Vali was mesmerized by the crimson. "You are something else. 15 heroes dead and even more disabled. I wonder how good of an asset you will be?"

"That depends. Do you have a goal to change society for the better? You attacked Ingenium so you're either a villain with a grudge or something else." Stain kept his blades at the ready as Vali smirked.

He lifted his hand up to his lips and traced his tongue across the still warm blood.

"Maybe you're just a freak." Stain commented. Blood licking was required for his quirk, but this was something on a different level.

"Now, now name calling is not appropriate. I was simply here to see if you're interested in joining my little gang. I've been seeking those with special skills to help attain power. Power to change this world."

"I'm listening." A loud horn was heard along with police lights in the distance. Stain and Vali shared a look when Stain hopped up to a window. "I've got somewhere else to be. If I don't like it then I'll hear what you have to say freak."

He disappeared and Vali smiled as he did that. "Oh, you and I are going to get along swimmingly. I can already feel it. I must give my subordinate a proper reward."

"I...Inge-Ingenium." He turned to see Ingenium's sidekick. This one seemed to fresh into the hero market. He must've been with the hero when Stain attacked.

His costume was basic, but gave no hint of what his quirk was. There's only sign of damage and it was one good cut on his bicep. Nothing, no one remarkable at all. The sidekick was trying fruitlessly to move when Vali picked up one of the knives lying around. "You...help the Hero Killer?"

Until now.

"Mm, in a way. The only difference is that if I didn't then the hospital will be dealing with two patients. I shall do my civic duty to help our emergency responders and have them deal with one."

"Don't you dare kill him!" The sidekick cried out.

"Kill him? Oh I wouldn't dare. He carries a lot more credibility than you ever could." Vali flipped the sidekick on his back. "So that leaves only you. And before you die, I can indulge in telling you how beautiful it was to see him fight. The violence was too good and it's making me itch for my own kill."

The sidekick was breathing hard as Vali held the knife tip over his eye. Vali knew the police would arrive, but within a good time space for him to enjoy a kill. The sidekick opened his mouth to scream as Vali slowly plunged the knife into his eye.

As if the paralyzing effect was gone, the sidekick screamed for help from the police or even Ingenium and thrashed against Vali, but to no avail. The gooey noises filled Vali's ears as red replaced the tears in it. His hands tried grabbing at Vali, but with a good push the blade reached his brain. Going limp, the sidekick only good eye stared into the empty sky.

"I normally would disintegrate you, but I want to make this look like Stain's work. I'll just burn my fingerprints then." Pink glowed around the hilt to eliminate any trace of him and any blood on his suit was taken care of as well.

Vali stood up and kicked the body against the wall. Looking over the scene, the man watched Ingenium twitch and shake a little with what energy he had left. "You're still conscious. Were you aware of his demise? He really hoped you'd save him."

Tensei tears mixed with blood dripping on the floor. Vali scratched his chin and looked at the police lights coming closer. "Oh by the way I wouldn't go around spreading my existence to the police or other heroes. Would you kindly accept that as I do not think it would be wise."

"O-or else?" Ingenium asked.

Vali sneered as he knelt down to look the hero in the eye. "Or else your brother will pay with his life."

"T-Tenya? How do you know my brother?"

"By the Sports Festival. You would know if you stayed in. I imagine you would be standing proud of his accomplishments. Then again you were a good subject for me to see Stain's powers. So it works out in my favor." His honeyed words began to get to Tensei. Vali leaned into his ear. "Now sleep former hero: Ingenium."

Back at the U.A Sports Festival

Takahashi looked around while healing Izuku. "Is something wrong Takahashi?"

Midoriya saw his mentor's brow grimaced. "Izuku. You ever get the feeling something dark is coming? Something that affects those close to you?"

"Kind of. Why?"

Takahashi saw in the distance, Iida leaving. "Learn to hone that skill. It'll give a hint on what's the next battle."

That feeling in Izuku's chest just got heavier with that sentence. And when he checked his phone on hero news, it confirmed it.

 _-Hero Killer Strikes Again: Ingenium Critically Injured and Sidekick Murdered-_


	29. Chapter 29

The news kept the boy still. Takahashi took the silence to heal the rest of his injuries. Which was needed as Iida left quite the damage. The purple bruising faded as Takahashi did his best. Izuku sighed in relief as the pain faded and there was no pain aching through his body. "You did good out there."

"Hm?" It broke him out of his trance.

"With Iida. You faced a handicap, but used clever ingenuity to give you an opening. I'd like to see more of that going forward. Strength can only get you so far." Takahashi replied. Pulling down his tank top and passing a new jersey, the nurse cracked his hands as his hands began to glow again. "So do you need any energy?"

"Kind of. I'm going against either Kaachan or Tokoyami. I feel like my ingenuity will need some power behind it. I probably should've had this done before I went to fight Iida."

Takahashi agreed and pressed his hands against Izuku's back. A flow of energy poured in and Izuku felt his fatigue finally pass. "Better?"

"Better."

"Good. I'll inform the staff of Iida's departure. Head back to the stands with the rest of your class." Takahashi said. Izuku nodded and left. The nurse looked away in the distance towards nowhere as his senses could sense something was coming in the next few days. "I better do my part to help."

Izuku walked down the hall as he passed the nurses office when he felt some heat. Fiery heat. Hiding against the corner, Endeavour exited out the nurses office. "I'll look forward to honing your skills Shoto. Now I'll take my leave."

"You won't stay for the rest of the tournament?" Todoroki asked. He exited out through following his father. He had a few bandages around his arms and some placed on his cheek. Clearly some injuries needed some more work.

"No. I came here to help you regain your fire. The goal is fulfilled. I will see you later son." He stomped away. "And another thing. Do not let Izuku Midoriya keep you down. All Might has done that to me, I will be damned if you follow the same pattern."

' _That almost sounded encouraging.'_ With that, the Number Two hero walked away. A minute passed when Todoroki turned to the corner. "You can come out Midoriya."

"So you knew I was here?"

"You mumbled about my dad's words" Todoroki replied. Izuku covered his mouth when he realized before walking with the bi-colored teen. "I suppose you heard some of that. My old man wanting to train me."

"Yeah. I heard, but are you gonna do it? You can now use your fire."

Todoroki didn't say anything as he looked at his left arm. The two stopped and Todoroki narrowed his eyes before softening them to look at Midoriya. "I...I don't know how I feel about it. I've spent years repressing it and I broke it today."

Midoriya put a hand on his hip while waiting for Todoroki to finish.

"I need time. My old man is garbage, but his skills and strength are nothing to scoff at."

"Well whatever you do, I'll support it as class rep and a friend. Now let's get back to the stands. The next fight's about to start." Izuku put a hand on his shoulder and Todoroki didn't react. Yet he could see a ghost of a smile on his lips as he walked away.

"I'm actually going to go the food stands near the entrance. Recovery Girl wants me to get some more food in me." Todoroki departed with that and left Izuku alone.

But not for long. "Move it you damn nerd."

Izuku was shoulder bumped by Bakugou. "Oh Kaachan. How's it going?"

The blonde stopped and turned his head to look at the green boy. His red eyes stared right into his rival's green ones. "You got a match right? I'd hate to stop you."

"Don't you patronize me you damn nerd!" He shouted. Izuku almost jumped. It's strange, but without everyone else around him or the stress of battle, he felt extremely vulnerable to the blonde's words. It seemed he still had some sway over him. "When I win this next fight, I want what you gave that half and half bastard."

"Wh-What I gave Todoroki?"

"Don't act dense god damn it!" Izuku flinched as Bakugou's hands let off a mini explosion. "That little transformation where you got that green circle. I want to face you like that. Hold back and I'll kill you."

Izuku swallowed nervously. "Hey there's no need to threaten death. Even if I wanted to, I don't know how to activate it. It's only happened in times of distress."

Bakugou growled as he saw the same little kid that offered his hand when he fell off that log. The same one that thought he needed help. The same kid that hid something so powerful since they were children.

"Bullshit." Bakugou said. "You know what it is and I don't care what I have to do, I'm gonna make you use it so I can beat your ass and show everyone who's the strongest."

"But Kaachan, you saw how powerful it was. Against Nomu, Todoroki it's incredibly dangerous. So even y-" A loud bang echoed throughout the hall as Katsuki's hand was right next Izuku's head. His eyes almost seemed to be glowing with rage at being told that it might be too powerful. "K-Kaachan, you really don't need to prove yourself."

"I'm not proving this for myself. I proving this in front of everyone! I don't want any doubts on who's the strongest here." He walked away when he heard the crowd. The match was about to begin. "See you next round you damn nerd."

He turned his back on Izuku with the green one shaking. It almost seemed every bit of confidence from talking to girls to shit talking his enemies was wiped away. Izuku shook his head at this and turned to Bakugou. He needed to at least say something.

"Hey Kaachan!"

The blonde turned his head and saw Deku putting on a shaky smile. "You...gotta fight harder to prove your worth my strength!"

"EH?! You wanna fight right now?!" Izuku screamed regret in his head as the blonde's hands sparked.

"No, I want you to get super mad that way you don't hold back on me as well. I'm not the same defenseless kid, but I can't say the same for you. All I see is the same selfish dickhead that ruined my notebook and told me to jump off a building. And another thing, when Ochako knocked your shit during that match, it made me think how slow you've progressed and it made my day."

"DEKU!" The teen got into a stance as Bakugou turned around and walked off. "You're dead."

The blonde walked off with hatred seething through his pores. ' _I'll cook this bird and show Deku who's he really fucking with!'_

Izuku watched Bakugou enter the arena before looking down with depressing clouds over his head. "I'm going to die and probably screwed over Tokoyami. I'm sorry my feathered friend."

 _Katsuki Bakugou vs. Fumikage Tokoyami_

Bakugou stomped his way onto the battlefield. Tokoyami stood at his end of the arena with his arms crossed. He opened them to feel some sweat form on his neck when he saw his opponent. The blonde was absolutely seething. Sparks flew from his hands as Mic was giving their introductions.

"Dark Shadow." The creature came out of Tokoyami and looked at Bakugou then turned to Tokoyami. "Don't look at me like that. We can do this...probably."

Back in the stands, Izuku finally managed to make his way to the stands. "Midoriya!"

He looked and saw most of his classmates having a range of relieved and excited faces upon his return. "About time you came back dude. We've been missing you this entire time and we need some payback."

"Payback?"

Mineta leaned over to his friend. "We took some bets on your matches and I got a good majority of the winnings from your fight with Todoroki." Speaking of which, the bi-colored teen glanced at him with a bowl of soba. He turned towards Izuku and just took a big slurp of noodles.

 _Sluuuurp._

"You bet on my matches?" Izuku said while trying to look at his purple haired friend and not at the weird eye contact he just shared with the fire and ice user..

He shrugged. "Well after Todoroki we were all kind of scared of-"

"Deku!" He turned and saw Ochako calling out to him. He turned to Mineta and saw he turned away. He didn't look eager to finish his sentence.

"I'll just take my seat." He saw Momo waving at him with Ochako calling his name out. He grinned and sat between his friends. Mineta and Kaminari mumbled something under their breath about the Midoriya when Mina moved over.

"Midori!" She grabbed him from above. The green boy almost gasped in surprise when she hugged him from above. "You really gave us a scare there. You gotta tell us what the heck's been going on with you."

"Oh, I didn't mean to, but I'll answer your questions after the tournament." Momo and Ochako shared a glance as Izuku looked ahead. There were so many questions to be asked, but his attention was on the fight itself. His gaze was entirely focused on it and not even paying too much attention to Mina still holding onto him.

"And begin!" Mic shouted.

"DIE!" Bakugou launched himself across the field and tried to land the first blow. Dark Shadow blocked the first attack, but his arm was damaged in defense. The shadow went in for a hook. Another explosion rocked through their conversation. Bakugou slapped away Dark Shadow's attack with his own. Smoke covered his hands as he grinned evilly.

"Wow, Blasty's fired up." Jirou noted.

"I may have done something to get that." Izuku replied. He looked a little sheepish. "We got into an argument and I pissed him off. But it doesn't look too bad."

Another explosion sent both Dark Shadow and Tokoyami flying back. Bakugou walked confidently.

"Maybe that was too soon."

Tokoyami got up and withdrew Dark Shadow. His partner was growing more and more meek with each blast. The blonde didn't care as he launched himself at the bird boy. Tokoyami got into a ready stance and clenched his fists. Counting down the seconds, he lunged forward and threw a punch.

With quick reflexes, Bakugou let out a small blast to maneuver himself like he did with Deku during the training exercise. Tokoyami immediately turned around with a gleam in his eye.

"There! DARK SHADOW!" The creature popped out of nowhere and threw a nasty hook. Bakugou was caught off guard and took it right in the chest. Spit flew out of his mouth when he landed on the ground hard. "Don't let up!"

Izuku whistled at the tactic. "Looks like he remembered my fight with Kaachan."

"Can't deny any of us that. It was the best fight during the training exercise." Kirishima replied.

"He did demonstrate his astute combat prowess. Now if only he wasn't so hot headed." Todoroki said as he slurped the last of his noodles.

Dark Shadow slithered across the battlefield with his claws ready. Bakugou hopped back to his feet and blasted Dark Shadow. The creature moaned in agony as the blonde put his palms together.

"FLASHBANG!"

"Damn it!" Tokoyami said as he covered his eyes. Dark Shadow shrunk, meek and depressed from the light. Bakugou licked his teeth when he saw it become docile. Putting his hands behind him, the explosion user fired himself across the field and landed a devastating kick to the shadow user.

Tokoyami's eyes blanked out when he landed against the ground. The blonde panted heavily as he sweated more. He cautiously raised a hand with it sparking in case he tried any tricks like he did with Ponytail. Midnight cracked her whip to draw the match to a close.

"Enough! Fumikage Tokoyami is knocked out! The winner is Katsuki Bakugou! Stay tuned because we'll be taking a short break before we have our title match!"

The crowd cheered loud enough at an almost quick and decisive battle. The blonde smirked in arrogance at his victory before turning to the stands. He shot a death glare towards his class to land one specific target.

Izuku crossed his arms as he looked at the tournament chart. Bakugou's name rose up in the brackets to meet his at the top. Their pictures shown on screen. Mina let go of him as he stood up.

"Heh, man I didn't think this was coming so soon."

Everyone in Class 1-A looked at their class rep as he gave an accepting look. Whatever was between those two, everyone knew that this fight would be a lot different from their fight before. Ochako glanced at Izuku's arms and remembered how burned and charred they were taking on Bakugou's full blast.

And there was also concerning Izuku's powerup. That strange form that Todoroki lost to. He barely seemed in control of it and was capable of massive destruction.

"I'll see you guys later." He scooted over and jogged to his prep room. The class watched as Momo tightened her clenched hands. Looking worryingly at the arena, she waited a second before getting up and following.

Mina and Ochako noticed her leave and followed after a few minutes have passed. Everyone else didn't really pay attention as the buzz of the next fight was pumping them all up. All except for Mineta, whose eye was twitching. All his research into internet articles about girls, the Q and A's from raunchy heroes, the romantic harem mangas, and knowing the signs of a teenage girl from some...games have granted the little one with an acute sense of what was going to happen.

He grabbed something wooden out of nowhere and chewed on it. ' _Midoriya, you amazingly lucky bastard!'_

"Why did you take my chopstick?" A voice asked. Mineta stopped his aggressive chewing and looked up to see Todoroki very confused on his action. Mineta's pupils turned white as he looked at the chopstick and Todoroki, who was still confused about. He gently placed the chopstick back in the bowl and fell onto his hands and knees.

' _An indirect kiss, but it was with TODOROKI!? This isn't my day!_ Mineta screamed in his mind. The fire/ice user just shrugged his shoulders and tossed the bowl and chopsticks into the trash.

Meanwhile Izuku was sitting patiently at the table. His eyes were closed as he tried to let the tranquil moments flow through him. The energy around him formed a vast sea of many colors and Izuku smiled at it. His body was glowing softly in the room.

Suddenly a knock was heard. His eyes snapped open and the glow disappeared. Sensing who was behind it, Izuku opened it to see Momo.

"Hey."

"Hi." The two shared a brief stare when Izuku stepped to the side of the doorway. "You wanna wait with me?"

"Yes." She stepped in and Izuku left the door open. "You seem rather calm for the match?"

"Yeah actually. All my anxiety is fighting all of my fear so it's just leaving at peace until one of them wins." Izuku chuckled yet he could feel his palms sweating. Fear, excitement, anxiety, and a whole plethora of emotions was stirring inside him like some wild stew. "Thanks for checking."

Momo glanced at the ground as she twirled only bang and stepped forward. "Yeah, I wanted to check and also...give you something for good luck."

"A gift? I don't know Momo. I can't really take it with me." Momo took another step and Izuku soon realized their height difference. She was looking down at him with a small blush on her face.

"It's a quick one. J-Just close your eyes." He tilted his head a little at the stutter as it wasn't one of her speech qualities. He then closed his eyes and held out his hands. "Y-You won't be able to h-hold it."

"Oh. Well ok." He waited another second and when nothing was given he slightly opened his eyes to peek. Momo's face was almost touching his eyes closed and lips slightly puckered, but her skin was very red. It almost matched her suit.

"M-M-Momo/Yaoyorozu!"

His voice wasn't the only to reach her ears as she opened them to see Ochako and Mina looking at her. The pink girl covered her mouth in surprise while Ochako's eyes went white. Izuku slid back as Momo finally contemplated the situation.

"What was that?"

"N-N-N-Nothing! I wanted to give Izuku something as class reps and friends!"

"Friends give each other kisses?" Mina asked. Lightning almost seemed to strike the two at what the angle looked like. Steam fired off from Izuku's ears while Momo's eyes turned to swirls. She tried stuttering a reply when Mina got a mischievous grin.

"Whoa, Whoa, I'm sure these two didn't kiss. Right, Deku?" Ochako said in some vain attempt to regain control and in some inner part to relax her heart.

Momo and Izuku were trying to explain, but their flustered state made it hard to understand. Finally Izuku raised his hands in surrender to answer the brunette. "Of course it wasn't a kiss! I'm sure Momo wanted to give me some advice! That's why she-"

 _~Chu~_

The class rep froze in his spot as he felt something soft against his cheek. Mina moved her way closer and planted her lips against his cheek. The color from Momo and Ochako was flushed away when they saw the pink girl make the first move. Izuku's eyes slowly drifted towards his companion as she pulled back.

"I wanted to give you some good luck. If you feel you want more don't be a stranger." Mina felt a chill roll over her body when she turned around to see Momo and Ochako. Purplish auras surrounded them with a heavy pressure being exuded. She felt the sweat roll down her cheek.

Yet she didn't waver. She winked at them and walked off. Izuku didn't notice as he quietly went to the bench and laid down on his side. Ochako had an angry pout on her face while Momo almost lifelessly moved closer to Izuku.

She just patted him on the head and walked off. Izuku acknowledged this with a small nod while Ochako did the same thing and whispered something in his ear.

"I'll cheer you on like how did for me. Now go out there and beat him." He perked up a little, but saw the brunette was already gone.

Momo and Ochako were getting closer to the stands when the saw Mina walking ahead of him with a bubbly aura around her. Spikes of ugly jealousy hit their hearts as they knew only one thing.

' _I won't lose!'_

A few more minutes have passed and Izuku was walking towards the arena. He patted his hands dry while recounting all kinds of strategies he had in mind in taking down the blonde. Yet before he stepped out, two figures stood in the archway. All Might and Takahshi.

"Ah Young Midoriya."

"All Might! You guys came down here for anything important?"

"Just to congratulate you on reaching the finals." Takahashi said. He put his hand on Midoriya's shoulder. "And to tell you we're very proud to see your progress."

Izuku blinked a few seconds before he felt some tears rise up. Takahashi sighed as Izuku tried wiping them away. All Might chuckled and shook his head before clearing his throat for attention.

"Now don't relax just yet Young Midoriya! You still have the challenge of winning against Young Bakugou which, aside from Todoroki, is the greatest challenge you'll face yet."

"Bakugou is skilled opponent. I suppose any credit I should give him is one who gladly faces adversity with pride and power. I know you will not underestimate him, but don't over estimate either. Control the fight and stay sharp."

"Of course. I'll win this tournament and tell the world that I am here!" Izuku smiled as he walked past. Both Takahashi and All Might gave a slight nudge for him to move and Izuku once again faced the large crowd. Present Mic fed the crowd and Bakugou was already standing in the arena. His arms were crossed as he had a manic grin on his face.

The moment he's been waiting for was there. To crush Deku and to prove to him that he was the extra on his journey to become the number one hero!

 _Izuku Midoriya vs. Katsuki Bakugou_

The entire arena was buzzing with anticipation as the two combatants had their fair trial of trials and tribulations. Todoroki and Uraraka gave them their strongest fights yet with Iida and Tokoyami being stepping stones to their match.

Katsuki punched his palm with smoke and sparks. Izuku stretched his arms and cracked his neck. He glanced at his newly acquired scars on his arms that he received on his way to this spot. Every bit of pain has led up to this moment. Everyone knew it and watch closely especially one student and two villains.

"Go Deku!"

"Get Midori!"

"Hey Bakugou, try not to lose this one!"

Their classmates all watched as fated rivals continued their staredown. Momo and Todoroki looked on as Present Mic stepped up. "Alright viewers, the championship round! Whose ready?!"

The crowd went wild. People were placing bets and analyzing the two. Pro Heroes all over the country looked on with anticipation. One old hero paid special attention to Midoriya. A letter on the desk explaining his existence and relevance to him.

"Let's see what this zygote's got."

Back in the stands, Inko and Mitsuki glanced at each other. This was one match they were almost expecting, but wished that never happened. At least on Inko's end. Mitsuki got a smug look on her face.

"Well I can't be a good mother if I root against my kid. You understand right?"

"Yes I do. I just it will be a good clean match between these. They're not as close, but I think their friendship could play a part." She said hopefully. The two mothers frowned at the statement. True, they were friends but the friendship between Katsuki and Izuku was a broken mess today. It was naive to think there was still something there. "I just hope they'll stay safe."

"My brat's not going to go for a ring out. If I know him, he'll aim for a knockout."

"Izuku." Inko clasped her hands together as she saw the bell about to be struck.

Before it did, Bakugou narrowed his eyes and smiled evilly. "I'm gonna kill you Deku."

Deku began to bounce up and down warming up his limbs with a determined smile on his face. "You're welcome to try."

" _ **BEGIN!"**_

One large explosion went off as Bakugou launched himself at Deku. The teen dove out of the way and fired a couple chakra blasts. Using his sweat and momentum, Bakugou dodged the first before blasting the second.

Deku wasted no time to eliminate the distance between them and got up in his face. Landing a few punches, the blonde staggered back when Deku twisted around for a roundhouse kick, Putting up his arm, Bakugou blocked it and grabbed him.

"DIE!" He tossed Deku and fired up his hands. The explosion sent him flying into the air and let him fall back onto the arena. The concrete cracked when he landed and Deku groaned. A tingle got his attention as he immediately rolled out of the way just before Bakugou slammed his knee to the ground.

Deku got up quickly and attempted a second roundhouse with One for All. Bakugou blocked it again, but it held more strength and broke through. He was off balance when Deku got close again.

"Detroit Barrage!" The blonde tried to block as many as he could but still received a few heavy blows. The final punch was a right hook that cut his cheek. Pain flared through his body as he sweated harder. He aimed his palms down and fired. Deku felt his leg burn and lost his balance.

Bakugou quickly moved behind him and put him in a chokehold. "Got you bitch!"

Takahashi and All Might watched on with everyone else. The match was already intense from the start and it didn't look like either side would budge.

Deku tried to break free, but he heard sparks. "Don't you even try to break free. Aura or not, you can't take an explosion to the face and not get hurt. You try anything else and I'll gladly blow you up to kingdom come! Now give up you piece of shit!"

Deku struggled for a brief moment until he relaxed. Midnight and the others observed closely for any sign of surrender. "Alright Kaachan. You convinced me."

"Guess you're-AAAAH!" Bakugou screamed. People tried to see what happened and received their answer to see Izuku biting hard into Katsuki's forearm. Teeth sunk deeper as his opponent was only putting more strength behind it.

"Convinced me to try harder!"

"You assho-" The blonde started before his grip loosened and Deku smashed the back of his head against his nose. Blood spurted from the orfice and Bakugou let go of Deku to deal with the pain. He didn't give enough time as the green teen charged up One for All. He moved behind Bakugou and delivered a swift kick to the back.

"GAH! You little bit-" Bakugou fired off his palm to turn him around and give him a chance to back hand his enemy. Deku disappeared in front of Bakugou before such a strike could happen. "Let me finish a damn-"

He was stopped yet again when Deku appeared behind him again and chopped at his shoulder blade! The explosion expert's mouth was agasped when Deku twirled around for an elbow strike. Katsuki finally had enough and put up his other hand. A small explosion weakened the incoming attack to where he caught it.

"Why should I? It's always either an insult, cussing, or claiming you're better than everyone else. At least when you're talking to me."

' _I don't see a lie.'_ Class 1-A thought.

"I wonder where he got that from." Inko muttered under her breath. Mitsuki didn't seem to notice as she slammed her hand on the railing. "God damn it Katsuki! Do something!"

"You're really pissing me off Deku!"

"There it is again. When do I not piss you off?" He asked. Katsuki pulled Deku in and kneed him in the stomach. He spat out in pain when Bakugou responded with his own elbow strike to the face. Deku stumbled back when he felt a hand on his chest. A brief flash of heat was the last thing he felt before he flew far away.

Bakugou swiped against the smoke. Deku took deep breaths as he clutched his chest while on his hands and knees. His skin was singed and was only saved by the last minute chakra aura he summoned. He got up, brushed himself off, and examined his torn jacket.

Katsuki wiped some blood off and snarled at the blood. "Stop it."

"Huh?"

"Stop holding back you bastard. If you can end this fight and really beat me, then prove it! Hurry up and start glowing."

Deku blinked before getting into a stance. "Oddly encouraging. Alright Kaachan, I'll give you what you want."

Pink sparked across his body as his eyes shined. He clenched his muscles and grunted. Green erupted from his form and flared across the arena briefly. Bakugou didn't look all too satisfied. It wasn't what he was after, but he remembered that Deku needed to be pushed a bit further.

His eyes almost dimly glowed when the shadows of his bangs covered his eyes. Deku's bangs were slightly lifted by the force of his aura. The crowd seemed to fall silent as the two got ready for round two.


	30. Chapter 30

Bakugou swiped his left hand and blew several chunks of the arena at Deku. The green one punched several blocks away but saw a few shrapnels coming towards. His reaction speed allowed him to catch several pieces between his fingers. Spinning around, he stretched his arm out and spread One for All to his finger tips.

A few loud flicks and several shards were returning to the exploding blonde. He held out his left hand and blew the shards away. "I'll blow you away like I did those pebbles Deku!"

Ochako looked a bit worried, but felt a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about Izuku just yet. Bakugou is tough but whenever Izuku glows then you can rest assured he's got this match."

"Heh yeah. I just worry about him. He's so tough, but on the inside he's a really sweet guy." Ochako's glance saddened. "Bakugou and him go all the way back to childhood. They don't seem close, but knowing Deku...something might have him slow down."

"Doubtful." The two girls turned to see Todoroki crossing his arms while watching the fight. "They may have history, but knowing those two that will only push them to do better."

Everyone else agreed and turned back to the fight. Bakugou tried landing another hit on Deku when the green boy disappeared then reappeared to the side. One clean hit to the side knocked Bakugou a few feet. Keeping up the momentum, Deku flipped two times to close the distance and end with an axe kick.

Bakugou raised his arms in time and blocked the hit, but not before having slid down and scratching his arm. He grimaced in pain until converting it to anger. He then thrusted his palms out and had them shine brightly. Deku covered his eyes when Bakugou responded with a hard jab. Deku stumbled back a few steps and opened his own palm. Green energy bubbled into an orb.

The blonde snarled and held out his hand, "You really trying that Deku? Against me"

"You're not the only one who can blast people." Deku replied and the two opened fire. Green and orange fire raged between them. The crowd was going wild at the spectacular battle between rivals.

Firing out of several blasts to only meet Katsuki's in the middle, Deku pulled back his other hand and charged a new ball. "Devastation Beam!"

Bakugou aimed both of his hands on the ground and launched himself out of the way. The beam missed his target and hit edge of the arena. With a manic grin, Bakugou shot himself like a bullet towards Deku. The broccoli haired teen put up his arms to take the first kick. He slid back slightly when Bakugou fired one more blast to have him spin around and land a second kick to break his defense.

Deku put up his hand just in time with Bakugou's and they blasted each other at the same time. Green and orange light bathed the arena as the two flew back. Bakugou flying in the air before landing on his feet and Deku sliding on his hands and feet barely catching himself from the edge of the arena.

The didn't waste a second to stabilize themselves and joust once more. Deku switched to Full Cowling when they did. A blur of pink lightning with a hint of green streaked across the arena while Bakugou turned himself into a bullet once more. They clashed in the middle with each other just leaving scratches.

Takahashi watched the battle from the entryway with a puzzled look. "This is a lot closer than I thought it would be. Izuku, what're you trying to do? I'm sure you can finish the fight."

"Come Deku! You should be able to do more unless you're holding back!" Bakugou said while clawing at his rival's defense.

"I'm still waiting for a reason to do it. So far I'm just getting a subpar performance. I understand Ochako took some of it out of you, but try to be somewhat entertaining." Deku quipped. Bakugou's eyes narrowed as he fired himself and drop kicked Deku in the chest. The teen barely reacted when Katsuki fired off one more explosion to back hand him in the face.

"How's that for subpar?! HUH?!"

"So angry. You know someone might exploit-" Deku took another strike to the face which sent him stumbling back. His mouth let out a trickle of blood flow down his chin as he bounced back with a few punches of his own.

He roared in anger before Deku tripped him up. Grabbing him by the face, the green one slammed the blonde into the ground. Bakugou was dumbfounded. In a few short seconds, Deku had him pinned. His head throbbed and his arms were getting increasingly sore with each passing explosion.

His shadow covered him and Deku was actually looking down at him. Even scuffed up and bloody, the teen seemed imposing. And a few seconds later he got up. Everyone held their breath to see what would happen next while Midnight was assessing which call to make.

"See. Exploitive. You could've taken those punches a bit easier if you calmed down." He smiled. "Still you're really impressive as always Kacchan. I'm actually kind of glad to fight you again."

"No." Bakugou muttered. His body was shaking as Deku extended his hand. In the corner of his eye, he saw Midnight put down her whip. That hand stopped her which means that the match ends with that hand. A surrendering gesture. Admit defeat at Deku's hands and he would laugh and keep that stupid smile on his face. Bakugou's muscles twitched as at the last moment his arm jerked up and slapped the hand away.

Deku's shocked expression was only momentarily there when he put up his other hand. Wrist muscles and hands contracting violently as Deku summoned his aura at the last second. A plume of smoke and fire erupted high. It bathed the arena in orange as Ochako and the rest of Class 1-A recognized the attack.

It was a concentrated blast like the one from the training exercise. In the dark smoke, one thing could barely be seen. A green flame. Deku's arms were heavily burned but not as bad as they were last time along with tearing his jacket asunder. His head received a few more cuts as blood now caked his sides.

"Like hell I would give up DEKU!" Bakugou felt the stress in his arms. "You think you can hold back your power and get me to surrender?! You think you're so much better than me after all these years. You're nothing. You're just an extra, a pebble, a stepping stone!"

Deku's aura broke as he switched to One for All. Jumping back, Deku knelt to examine the damage. His ears were ringing and his eyes only saw white. The flash has temporarily blinded him. Covering his eyes, his other senses tried to help him. It all culminated when he could see everyone's energy and seeing one suddenly knee him in the face. His head was rocked when Bakugou landed that last attack on him.

He laid on his back. Bakugou stood on top of him. His hands sparked more while Deku tried lifting up his head. The cuts on his head decorated blood over his cheeks and face. The second blast was the same as the one that blasted him last time there was no doubt in his mind, even being prepared for that has left him blinded.

"I've been saving that one up since my fight with Uraraka." He grabbed Deku's hair and pulled him up. "What's the matter? No smart ass remark? Nothing to say you piece of shit?"

Deku winced a little at the pain before looking at the visage of Katsuki, orange energy took his shape and it was terrifyingly accurate at getting his expression. "Either I've gotten...stronger or that little fireworker isn't so bad when you've got that overcompensating gauntlet."

Bakugou slammed Deku's head into the arena. No one said a word as Bakugou was letting his rage get the better of him.

"Well from where it stands, I'm still on top! And it's going to stay that way you nerd! You need to relearn your place!" He picked up Deku's head again and slammed it back on the concrete. He lifted his hand and felt the sweat already primed. "You act like your different since your quirk manifested. Flaunting it like some prissy bird and even trying to get a good fight out of Icy-Hot. Why aren't you using it well against me, you are trying to get back at me? Heh, you've gotten pretty arrogant."

"Did you really call me arrogant?" Deku asked in disbelief. Bakugou thrusted his hand down when Deku moved his head to the side and countered with a strong punch to the chin. The blonde recovered quickly.

"That's it! I want to win this right and if this means nearly killing you to get it then so be it!" He sprinted across before jumping into the air.

"W-Wait Kacchan! You don't know what're you doing!"

"Does it matter? If you transform then you'll heal yourself. If not then the old man will!" Bakugou blasted himself several times to begin spinning. Dark clouds of smoke swirled around him forming a horizontal tornado.

People were in awe of it. Momo looked on with terror in her eyes as she saw Deku still standing in place.

"Izuku move!"

" **HOWITZER!"**

Dodging it? The area of effect is too massive and at the minimum will severely burn him. His gut reaction was to protect himself. Letting out a harsh breath, Izuku's aura burst forth before his body drew it back in. Pink sparked along his body when he let out one war cry.

"Full Chakra Cowl-"

" **IMPACT!"** Bakugou slammed his palm against Deku and the entire arena was lit up. Chunks of arena blew up and heat washed over everyone. Takahashi and All Might braced themselves for the shockwave and Midnight took cover behind her podium.

It finally passed and Present Mic could only say one thing.

"Holy shit."

All Might was on the ground shaking. "Oh my God. Young Bakugou turned into an artillery shell."

"It is indeed powerful." Takahashi said as he stared into smoke. "I just hope Izuku's fine."

The smoke slowly cleared and Bakugou was nursing his arms. That last attack took a lot out of him. If he wasn't going to get the treatment of Deku's power like Todoroki was then he'd at least show him that he stood no chance in the first place. Though the second option seemed more bittersweet than he'd admit.

Finally everything was cleared and Bakugou looked to see Deku still standing. His posture was slanted as his knees were bent and his torso was blown back but limp. His body was decorated in burns and dirt. His mouth was open with drool dripping down the caked bloodline as his eyes stared into space.

"Oh shit." Bakugou accidently said.

People were more than a little horrified by the display. Mineta was physically shaking while Ochako's eyes were almost completely white. Across the way Mitsuki dropped all of her bluster and spirit when she saw Izuku. Inko looked physical sick with tears streaming down her face.

Midnight was trying to get up. Her ears were ringing as well and her eyes needed a moment to adjust. Bakugou just stood in his place as the quiet was weighing down on him. Takahashi wasn't rushing over and Deku didn't use his secret power. His pride tried squishing the feelings away, but he actually felt the same feelings that coursed through him last time he critically injured.

Remorse.

"D-Deku." He started. Then one loud crack was heard. The entire arena focused on the source of it and saw Izuku's fingers twitch. "Deku?"

The finger cracked open the skin and muscle as it clenched. The blonde cringed inwardly at the display.

"I…" A broken voice tried saying despite his burnt lips and throat. Takahashi, who was ready to move out, felt something buzzing in his head. Inside his hollow eyes, Deku wasn't as quiet. He was screaming.

' _Again. Again. And AGAIN! It's always the same damn story! How many times have I tried being nice? Being friendly? What has that got me?!'_ Deku screamed as his body was twitching. Bakugou felt something weird in Deku and saw his eyes slowly lose their pupils. He slowly grinned at it and got his hands ready despite how sore he felt.

' _I do something. I try to get stronger. Then Bakugou comes in and ruins it!'_ This new level of rage was both refreshing and painful. ' _I was took every hit! Every insult! He just mocks me. Disregards my dream. Disregards my existence!'_

Takahashi felt the familiar buzz in his head growing ever more painful. Deku felt something grab his heart again with the voices growing louder in his ears to the point where it was deafening.

' _He's the one that's arrogant. He's too blind to see anything but himself!'_ Deku gritted his teeth before one cold revelation washed over him. ' _And I helped to that point. I took everything and still saw him as admirable. Had him be a symbol of victory to me. He thinks I faked everything, my admiration, my respect. I didn't fight back even with Takahashi by my side all those years until the last year of middle school.'_

The fight from that fateful day from meeting All Might and fighting the sludge villain. They took the fight outside. Midoriya had his hands ready. Bakugou was already sparking his hands. His lackeys made sure no one was coming and then the fight began.

Bakugou went in for his right hook. The one hit that almost always ended any confrontation. Izuku put his hands up and force successfully blocked it. Shifting his weight, the green teen had Katsuki dead in his sights. The two lackeys were shocked to see Bakugou's blow be deflected as was the blonde himself.

Izuku reeled back his hand and got ready to strike hard, but...it didn't happen. His hand stopped right before it could hit him. It opened up a window for Katsuki to fire off one explosion and give his backhand some extra strength.

Deku let out a shaky breath at the memory. He hesitated. The role of a villain during the training exercise let something out, but was quashed after taking on a blast. But now...he had resolve.

His irises shifted to a heavenly green hue. A green circle shined on his chest. Fingers dug into the palms as he felt something different from the calm dreamlike state of mind he was used to. It was hotter. And the burns on his hands and arms started to glow and not fade away like all the other injuries.

"Y-You done screwing around Deku?" Bakugou asked. He was taken aback by the stutter. He never did that, that was Deku's thing.

"Oh shit. It's happening again." Kirishima said as everyone saw a different glow. Momo felt the cold grasp of fear clench her heart for both her classmates.

" _ **I...I…"**_ Takahashi felt his head be run through with a fresh tidal wave of pain. All Might tried to say something, but his voice was just static to him. Bakugou and everyone else saw Deku slowly rise. " _ **Hate…"**_

Those first words were barely a whisper as Deku's body relaxed. The blonde felt the familiar cold fear make his neck sweat when saw it. This was it. This was the power Deku was suppose to use, so he could defeat him and prove he was stronger. But for the first time in his life Bakugou felt something else.

Deku has surprised, annoyed, even frighten him with displays of power and personality. Yet every bit of his being wanted to scream at him for thinking this. He regrets for every insult he's given this boy.

" _ **YOU!"**_ The scream filled the arena and everyone covered their ears. Many people in the arena with sensitivity sound like Jirou were in a small state of agony with the scream. Aizawa and Present Mic saw the glass crack. Even Nezu appeared worried. Takahashi covered his ears while All Might puffed up his muscles.

"Young Midoriya!"

"Don't do anything! You'll provoke him. If anyone has to do anything it'll be me and Midnight. Head to the stands and be ready in case we do need you!"

Midnight fell off her podium and onto the grass. She immediately grabbed her sleeve when Deku punched the ground. The earth shook violently and Midnight felt the ground began to split. Jumping to her feet, she moved back as slabs of concrete began to rise out of the ground.

Everyone else was holding onto their seats or railing as tight as possible. In the stands Tokoyami summoned Dark Shadow to keep people in place while Shoji did the same. Kaminari held onto Ojirou's tail and others followed in holding each other.

Far away, Danju already removed himself from his nosy friend group to deal with the pain himself. He wondered how his father was dealing with it. Vali was breathing hard while clutching his head. It was impossible, it was supposed to be impossible.

He looked up at the sky towards the direction of U.A. "Damn Izuku Midoriya. Keep this up and I'll have to personally find a way to deal with you myself."

Another villain thought similarly as he simmered in jealousy at the power being displayed. Even the comforting hand of his father wasn't enough for Tomura Shigaraki. This brat was making himself a bigger threat to villains with each passing moment.

Back in the arena Takahashi tried to stabilize himself before a fresh wave of pain put him down.

Katsuki fired himself up into the air and went in for a kick. Deku caught his ankle and the blonde felt the almost bone breaking grip. The green one spun around, spinning faster and faster until he let go. Bakugou saw himself heading towards one of the rocks and tried to use his momentum to blow the rock out of the way.

He was successful and escaped his fate. Then Deku appeared above Katsuki and flicked his fingers. He managed to fire off one more explosion to take the brunt of the air bullet, but the force sent him down to the concrete. Deku landed on one of the new concrete pillars he brought out and tilted his head.

Slowly lifting his hands up, green and pink sparked along his wrists before two orbs appeared on his wrists. Katsuki got up and tried to relax his wrists when he turned to see Deku looking down on him. A tiny curl of his lips rose up as he whispered.

" _ **Run."**_ Katsuki got up avoided the first volley of blasts. The arena was adorned by bright lights as Deku laid waste to it. Bakugou was jumping from pillar to pillar narrowly avoiding each blast that was trying to claim him. Having enough he blasted himself into the air. The wind whistled in his ears as he reached new heights and escaped the hell zone beneath.

A green streak in sky zipped past and above him and Katsuki was treated to Deku above him. Bakugou aimed his palms and opened fire. The green one almost seemed to be sneering when he clapped his hands. A sonic boom echoed and overwhelmed some sound sensitive quirk users. Bakugou fell back to the ground and barely caught himself.

His lungs were burning from all the running. Deku appeared behind and Katsuki quickly swiped his hand to smack him away, but Deku ducked and landed one strong kick to the stomach. Blood and spit exited Katsuki's mouth before he went flying into one of the concrete pillars.

His vision was spotty and he could barely figure out where he was much less stand up. Deku relaxed and cracked his neck. His fingers flexed themselves as he approached the blonde.

After a moment, Katsuki got up and saw Deku walking right at him. He wasn't rushing. He wasn't ending the fight. This was torture. The red eyed blonde tried to make one last final stand.

Bakugou held his hand out to blast Deku again when another green light blurred across his hand. One second later, a nasty crunch was heard. Red eyes shrunk to a pin as Bakugou screamed in agony. His right hand limped sadly with it oddly bent at the fingers and knuckles, blood burst out while the skin turned dark purple. He jumped back as Deku growled. Green steam billowed softly from his lips which gave him a new level of intimidation.

"This isn't going to like a fight." The old man finally got up. Forcing himself to fight through the pain. "This will end as an execution if I don't hurry."

Takahashi ran across the field as Deku took another step towards Bakugou. The blonde instinctively took a step back. He gritted his teeth and bared them despite how helpless he was feeling in the situation.

' _If I do the technique now, I'll run out of time to save Bakugou and stop Izuku! I just need to get a bit closer!'_

"DAMN YOU!"

" _ **You...need...to pay!"**_ Deku growled. Yet his voice sounded different now. His voice was still dominant, but it echoed with something else. With someone else's voice. Deku's mouth curled into an almost maniacal grin. Holding out his hands, two similar spheres appeared. White orbs with a rainbow outline.

He slammed the two balls together and formed a bigger one. Holding it above his head, Deku's arms strained to contain it. The orb slowly shrunk till it was the size of a baseball.

" _ **STAR!"**_

Midnight saw this and grabbed her sleeve again. "Don't do it Midnight!"

"Taka-" She didn't get to finish her sentence as Deku charged right at Bakugou and Takahashi pulled her back. The blonde tried to put up some measly defense as Takahashi's body began to glow. The irises shifted to a new shade of blue and sparks erupted over his body. He could feel every bit of his body begin to vibrate.

He stepped on the edge of the arena and pointed at the combatants.

" _ **BREAK-"**_

" _ **TRUE SPEED!"**_ Lightning burst forth and the entire word turned blue then gray then normal. Takahashi stood in the arena, his aura shining around him as he took a chance to examine his surroundings.

There was no sound. No movement whatsoever. Midnight was frozen in the air with her sleeve not even tearing one bit. The crowd was frozen in all sorts of poses. Their expressions of fear and worry were still as stones.

Takahashi sighed at the results. "Thank God. It's been awhile. How long has it been since I moved faster than time?"

He turned over to Izuku and Bakugou. The two were frozen in their stances. Bakugou had his hand out to do something while Deku had his own hand stretched out to destroy him. The nurse took one step forward before feeling immense pain. Clutching his chest, Takahashi coughed out a bit of blood. Falling to his knees, the pain seemed to have increased.

"Damn it. It's been so long since I've used this power. Not to mention that the Warrior's Resolve is overpowering my senses. This is bad." He tried to stabilize himself when he saw the world begin to move. Not back to their normal speed, but in small increments. His eyes widened at how much everything was moving.

"Shit! Time is already catching up! I need to save Bakugou now!" Several options played in his head as everything began to move again. Bit by bit, Deku was getting closer to his rival's chest. Takahashi knew that blasting away would cause an explosion, one that would need a barrier. But he couldn't muster one up to contain the blast and Bakugou was too weak to cancel out the attack.

Punching Izuku wasn't an option. He was weakened by both True Speed and the Warrior's Resolve. He would easily counter any form of attack that Takahashi could do and have his wrath pointed at him. There was one option left.

"Good grief. I'll cross that bridge with you soon Katsuki Bakugou." He held his hand out and fired one blast. It flew across the arena and Katsuki in the heart. "Now time will catch up once more."

He fell onto the floor as Deku made contact with Bakugou's chest. The blonde felt something soften the impact when his perspective of reality was blown out of proportion. Deku was no longer thrusting his hand but moving backwards. The world began to move backwards. Day became night and night returned to day, but spun around faster and faster.

Katsuki stared in awe as he couldn't move until he saw a door in front of him. He tried moving and could only see his arms. They were on fire yet he could feel no heat from it.

"Wh-What the hell is going on?"

Suddenly a figure appeared right in front of him in a swirl of green flames. They extinguished in a few seconds and left a figure in a vague shape. The shape contracted for a second until it held some features he knew. Floppy green hair, freckles, scarred arm. Izuku stood in front of him only his eyes were hazy and lifeless.

"DEKU! WHAT IS THIS?"

Deku didn't respond and just turned his back and began to walk towards the door in the distance.

"DON'T YOU IGNORE ME!" Katsuki felt like there were cinder blocks on his legs, but he was making some progress. He trudged through the ground to reach his rival when he heard whispers. Children's voices.

' _Useless.'_

' _Kacchan why?'_

' _Just jump right out the window.'_

"Shut it." Katsuki said as he saw the smoke around him replay many memories. He could see himself being followed by those extras. His application to U.A. And several images of Deku walking away with a few burns and a few teachers turning their heads. "What is this?"

He tried to keep his focus and saw Deku standing in front of the door. "Deku! Deku you bastard what is this? You answer me right now?"

The weird Izuku turned to Bakugou. He blinked a few times and had a thousand yard stare. Katsuki didn't know what the hell was going on when Izuku coughed out blood. His skin started to turn red, purple, and black. Burns began showing all over his body and his scars were now turned into fresh wounds.

" _Kacchan. Kacchan, why?"_

"Huh?! D-Deku? This isn't...what's happening?!"

Izuku coughed out a fountain of blood while trying to smile. He tilted his head to the side with his eyes losing whatever life it had left.

" _You. You happened."_ The door dropped down and Katsuki could see that the land behind it fell alongside it forming a cliff. " _I need to learn my place, right? And who better to remind me than a hero."_

"Deku. What are you-" He tried reaching out when Deku spread his arms open and leaned back. He fell back and Katsuki tried reaching out. The ground shifted again Katsuki felt the world bring him down. On his hands and knees, Katsuki saw Izuku's lifeless body.

He crawled over to check on him and saw Deku's eyes staring right into space.

"I-I don't get it. I don't get any of this! What the hell is going on?!"

' _You seek strength. Strength above others.'_ Bakugou almost reeled in horror to see Deku's mouth move but not his voice say it. It was deeper. More powerful. ' _Strength of self to stand above others. You don't care who falls as long as you reach the top.'_

Feeling a small burst of strength, Bakugou found himself standing with his hands opened at the dead body of his classmate. "Who are you? Answer me god damn it."

' _Such potential. Such a vitriolic temperament.'_ Deku's head snapped up as his body contorted around to a feral animal position. ' _You are something else.'_

"And you're dead." Katsuki said and blasted the horrifying amalgamation. The explosion stopped just before hitting Izuku. The blonde took a terrified step back as the flames surrounded Deku like a snake. It slithered across his broken body and covered his body like a cloak. The green was replaced by a reddish orange hue.

It formed into some creature that growled and lunged at Katsuki. He could do no other thing but scream.

And that scream carried out to the real world as Katsuki's body shone red to yellow then settling on orange. The force of it was enough to send Deku and the other back. Takahashi jumped next to Midnight and covered them both while Cementoss covered himself in another concrete dome.

Deku was sent sprawling back into the ground. His Star Breaker shattered and left little trace behind. The heavenly green eyes he had flickered as he got up.

The shockwave hit the audience with some falling back and others shaken in their seats. All Might was there to help some people along with the other teachers. Present Mic and Aizawa's glass windows finally shattered. The two moved back in time for the shards not to hit them. Nezu watched on in genuine surprise.

"Holy shit!" Mic yelled.

Katsuki fell on his knees and grimaced in pain as his broken hand hit the ground. The dust settled and his orange glow turned into mere particles. One footstep brought him back to reality. He looked up and saw Deku was up and ready. He was taking his sweet time by walking.

The blonde looked at his hands and they were in terrible shape. One hand was wrecked and the other was overused. Deku didn't seem too bothered to finish things quickly. He got closer and closer when Bakugou glared at him.

"What're you waiting for Deku? End it! You...you bastard." Deku stopped right in front of Bakugou. "Well?!"

"It's over." Todoroki muttered. The entire class was silent, but they knew he was right.

"I-If Midoriya punches him, how badly do you think Bakugou's going to end up? He might kill him!" Kirishima put out.

"Midori won't do that. He doesn't like him, but not enough to kill him." Mina tried to reassure everyone.

Deku raised a fist. It clenched tightly and shook with power. Katsuki closed his eyes when he saw his rival begin to move. There was a bit of wind pressure but it stopped suddenly. Bakugou slowly opened his eyes in confusion. Deku's fist was just a centimeter away when he saw his aura and eyes return to normal.

It shattered into a million pieces and Izuku fell forward. He slumped against Katsuki's shoulder before rolling off into the ground. His breathing was shallow and his eyes stared right into the sky. Bakugou slowly looked down to see him in the same pose as in that weird vision.

"H-Hey. Deku, why did you stop? You won! I accepted that!"

"..."

"You...you won! Why did you stop!" Bakugou screamed.

Midoriya just closed his eyes and retired to the realm of dreams. The blonde fell to his knees. It was over, the fight was over. Deku had him cornered. Had him afraid. He won. So why…

"Why did you give up know? Answer me you dick!" He tried to shake the teen awake. Takahashi and Midnight stood up with dirt and grime covering both of them. The nurse clutched his chest for a second as Bakugou was yelling, but turned to his friend.

"Call it."

Midnight reached for her whip and cracked. The noise broke everyone out of their stupor. "The tournament is over! Izuku Midoriya is out of commision. That leaves Katsuki Bakugou as the winner!"

The reception was cold at first. No one was clapping, but slowly one after another people began to pick up the pace. Claps went around and some people cheered before it was in full swing, everyone except for some of the students.

' _They're taken aback by such a display, but if one hero here comforts them then the crowd will see no problem at all.'_ Takahashi thought before coughing in his sleeve. It felt wetter. He pulled back his sleeve and saw a bit of blood on it. ' _I…I've gotten weaker.'_

Straightening himself up, the nurse examined the damage to the arena while approaching the two teens. "He held it for a minute and the level of destruction is something I haven't seen in years."

The cameras panned around everyone around the arena. Most shots were on Bakugou and Midoriya, but a few switched over to the teachers. In one viewing area in Japan, one son saw it and his eyes widened when it stayed on Takahashi for a few seconds.

"It...It is him. And he's the one training Izuku Midoriya in chakra." He mumbled. His friends didn't notice his expression as they were discussing what an insane battle just happened. With a quick pic, Danju alerted his father.

Vali was in the middle of some other business. A woman was trying to stab him, but her body was slowly disintegrating before her very eyes. He casually took out his phone and saw the picture. His eyes widened for a second until a small grin cracked open.

"So." He closed his fist and the woman imploded. "There you are. Oh this calls for a reunion in my future plans."


	31. Chapter 31

"Bullshit! Get up Deku!" Bakugou crouched down and grabbed Izuku's shoulder with his only good hand. "You get up right now and finish the job! I won't accept this victory! I can't!"

Midnight was torn open her sleeve and the purple gas hissed. It flowed into the arena and into Bakugou. He fought against for a brief second, but the scent was too powerful and knocked him out. She let out a sigh of relief that such an insane battle was over. Her companion picked both boys up and waited for the medical bots to come in. When they did, they placed them on stretchers and hauled them away.

"That was crazy. What's with these first years?" Midnight asked as she got on the stage to ask her friend. She peered at Takahashi, who was watching the bots. Shaking her head, the heroine went in a bit closer to repeat her question when she felt her boot touch something.

It was a spilled blood. It was already drying, but the center of it was still wet. Midnight got confused on where that came from. Most of the fighting happened in the center. Turning her head to Takahashi, she saw him cough on his sleeve and relaxed his hand against his side when it was done. She noticed the crimson splotch on it.

 _`Wait a second, he ran up to this side and shouted something before everything exploded.'_ Her thought process ended when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm need back in the infirmary. I'll see you around." He walked off and put both of his hands in his pockets and tried to hide his bloody sleeve. She turned suspiciously at him and saw his hat on the floor. Picking it up, she hid it behind her back before turning to the crowd and easing them again with announcements of the soon to be happening awards ceremony.

Takahashi leaned against the wall when he entered the hallway. He was sweating up a storm and his chest felt so heavy.

"I just had to use my range moves when I stopped time. Chiyo's going to be pissed if she finds that part out." He took a moment to regain his stride and walked to the nurse's office. "But first Izuku and Bakugou need me. Or at least Izuku does."

He found the door and entered. Bakugou and Izuku were in separate beds, both were unconscious and Chiyo had an oxygen mask over the blonde's face.

"Close the door."

"Right." He shut the door and walked over to his friend's side. She was actually taking out pieces of bone out of Bakugo's hand. "Izuku completely shattered his hand. I'm surprised it didn't come off."

"...you need to take care of that little problem of his." Chiyo said as she painstakingly took another piece out. "We're lucky it never came to that, but for God's sake En-Takahashi how long has it been since we've encountered something like that?"

"Hard to say. Let me handle Izuku. Where's your ink and paper?" She pointed at the desk and Takahashi found a bottle of ink, a paint brush, and thick paper. "I can handle soothing his wounds when I'm done."

"Let me make sure I've taken out all the fragments before you do such a thing." Chiyo replied.

Takahashi nodded and closed the curtain on him and Izuku. He lifted the blanket off and took a glance at his students torso. Besides a bit of dirt and a few bruises, the Warrior's Resolve took care of most wounds. Most.

Sitting down, Takahashi painted several symbols on the paper backwards. Placing his palm over the symbols, he muttered several ancient words that made the black ink shine a bit. Finally he put his hands together in a prayer form.

" _Through the foundations of the soul and the strength of one's self, let this seal protect my child. Let he who carries this great power be protected for he cannot do so himself. To our ancestors and those who came before them approve my wish and fulfill my desire of security."_

The old man flipped Izuku over onto his stomach and placed the paper over his spine. The flesh hissed in the heat and Izuku's closed eyes squeezed a bit at the sensation. Takahashi pulled back and the symbols shined brightly turning blue, then green, and the back to black. He traced a finger over the symbols and drew a circle around it. The blue circle glowed for a second then faded away bringing the black symbols with it to the cream color of Izuku's skin.

Takahashi sighed in relief before almost falling into his chair. His body was aching, but he still needed to appear strong until later. He opened the curtain and went to help Chiyo.

After what felt like a lifetime, both medical staffers sat down when Bakugou opened his eyes. He slowly leaned up from the bed and took note of his surroundings. He turned to see Takahashi sitting across from him with Recovery Girl looking to grab some candy. "Did Deku win?"

"No."

Katsuki's eyes flared with anger as he wanted to point at the old man, but when he did, he noticed his right hand bandaged. Touching the wraps, Bakugou was about to rip them off when Takahashi grabbed his hand.

"Don't." Recovery Girl walked past them and dropped a chocolate bar at Katsuki's bed. He ignored it as she went to the other curtain. Katsuki glared at the old man as there was no one else for him at the moment to direct his anger at. Takahashi gave him an apathetic look back. And for a moment all they did was size each other up.

Suddenly loud laughter broke it up as Chiyo backed out holding Izuku's hand. He seemed somewhat energetic and the old lady was trying her best to have him calm down slightly.

"What the-" Izuku looked up and noticed the two looking at them.

"Hi Kacchan!" He waved excitedly. "Today was really fun wasn't it!"

"He's been awake for the past ten minutes, but I promised him candy if played the quiet game." Takahashi looked at Chiyo who shrugged and let go of Izuku's hand. The teen almost bounced over to the blonde's bed with eagerness.

"I was so bored but she was so nice to really give me candy. Maybe we can still do more! You wanna play another game or something?"

Bakugou's eye twitched. He hadn't seen this side of Izuku since the USJ. Power apparently frying his brain like Spark Plugs but only in taking only maturity.

"Are you still mad?" He asked. This was too much and Deku might be acting like this for a different reason.

"Mad?" Deku said while poking at his own cheek with a confused look before twirling around and opened his arms widely. His smile was almost cartoony in front of Bakugou. "Why would I be mad at my childhood best friend!"

"That's bullshit! I'm not your best friend!" The sudden yelling got through to Izuku as he flinched at the noise. His cheerfulness finally brought to an end as he looked at the blonde with watery eyes at being yelled at.

"B-But weren't we once?" Izuku asked quietly.

He sniffed quietly and Bakugou didn't know how to feel considering how he was acting like a little kid, but was the one to break his hand.. Takahashi and Recovery Girl split the two apart. Recovery Girl held up a lollipop to which Izuku immediately started sucking on like a cute animal while Takahashi dragged Bakugou away.

"Get your hands off me, you shitty old man!"

"Shut up." He made Bakugou turn to him. "Listen. You know it reduces his mental capacity to that of a child and it takes some time for him to recover his mentality. It would be for the betterment of everyone that he recovers peacefully. Besides that let's get these bandages off."

He knelt down and grabbed Bakugou's hand. The boy yanked it back angrily. "I got this bastard!"

"No, you don't. And I appreciate you stop insulting me Katsuki Bakugou." Takahashi's voice echoed threateningly in the room. He unravelled the bandages and the two bear witness to the surgical scar Recovery Girl had to do on Bakugou's hand. Takahashi cursed himself silently at being too drained to help.

Bakugou's eye twitched as he looked at the wound. The entire moment that took place seemed to move in slow motion. His hand stretched out to defend himself and then Deku suddenly appearing and breaking every bone in his hand. It happened so fast and the only thing he could recall before the pain almost blinded him. Yet it also reminded him of one other thing.

"You...you can do all the things Deku can."

"There's no point in denying it. I was wondering when you would confront me on this." Takahashi mumbled. He stood up straight. "You're correct. I can do the things Izuku is capable of learning."

"You taught him this?"

"No. Even if I could, this power is far too dangerous for anyone to have. I need to deal with that. As for you...I don't want to deal with mistakes. I want to deal with an investment."

"Heh? What the fuck are you talking about?"

Takahashi rolled his eyes. "You'll see soon enough."

Bakugou got up and wanted to demand answers when Takahashi opened his mouth. "Now sit down. Be a good boy and wait."

The blonde's body froze. The words, they were so sweet and very...soothing despite everything that's happened to him today. His body complied and he sat right back down like a good boy.

Takahashi smirked at himself before coughing again. He covered his mouth and pulled back to see blotches of blood on his palm. He stared at his hand for a few seconds before proceeding to the bathroom.

Recovery Girl tucked Izuku tightly into bed and lulled him to sleep. She saw Takahashi make a quick dash to the bathroom and slam the door shut. Moving quickly, she pressed her ear against the door to hear raspy coughing and hacking on the other side. Her worry skyrocketed and the old lady opened the door.

She saw Takahashi hunched over on the sink, spitting red.

The sink had globs of congealed blood. Takahashi wiped his mouth and took a deep breath. Glancing in the mirror, he could almost see his actual age come through the exhausted expression he wore.

"You used it didn't you?" He glanced to the side in the mirror and saw Chiyo covering her mouth in shock. The nurse turned to his superior and wiped his mouth before turning on the sink. Water flushed the blood away and Recovery Girl moved closer. "How long has it been since you used True Speed."

"When was the last time you had long hair?" He retorted. She smacked him in the leg and he winced.

"I'm serious! Last time you used it, I was pretty sure you were dead!"

Takahashi chuckled and tasted his mouth for anymore of that iron taste. "I think you and I remember Budapest very differently. Today was only one time stop with minimal exhaustion anyways. It's not too bad."

"Yes, vomiting out blood is considered a good thing. How long?"

Takahashi turned to Chiyo and glared at her. She matched his with her own before he relented. "Fifteen seconds."

"Fifteen! Eight was your limit and that almost killed you!"

"Keyword being almost. Izuku's new form generates enough power to overwhelm my sixth sense. You weren't affected since I hadn't taught you the that sense. I needed more time." He shot back. He turned to Chiyo and for a second he saw her as she was years ago. Wrinkles gone and hair more flowing. He rubbed his eyes and she returned back to her old age. "I am not having this argument again Chiyo."

"Well I think you should. Considering I am the only person alive who actually truly knows you." He winced at the word alive. She walked up and pointed to the ground. He knelt down and she held his cheek. "Does Midoriya know? His mother? All Might? Do any of them know who you really are?"

Takahashi looked Chiyo in the eye. "I moved on from that person ever since I've returned to Japan. Ever since _he_ fell, I have no need to bring up the past aside from filling in a few blanks."

"Takahashi, Izuku will learn the fate of those who came before. What you did to preserve what semblance of peace for the world and the enemies you've made. Are you really willing to never tell him the truth?" Takahashi sat their with her words hanging over him.

"My enemies no longer walk the earth. My revolution from my homeland and exile from Japan made it so." He stood up and his eyes shifted to blue before backtracking to brown. "Izuku will learn of my deeds when I join them in hell."

He walked toward the bathroom door but stopped at the knob. "Chiyo. Do you trust me?"

"More than I should."

"Izuku's powers are maturing faster with each passing moment. He's recently acquired the ability to transfer chakra to others and I was hoping that you would teach him how to heal."

Recovery Girl stood up straight and grabbed her cane. "Healing takes quite a while to master. Why can't you teach him? You use that ability more than I do."

"When you asked me to show you how to heal others with Aizawa and Thirteen, you were only a little rusty. Had I not helped you, you would only be delayed by a few minutes. Besides I need to ask Midnight something." He saw her raised an eyebrow. "Nothing like that. One of All Might's allies informed me of a way to use my powers in public. It requires a hero sponsorship. I would ask All Might, but his endorsement is too good. It'll raise suspicion."

"Hard to believe you'll follow rules now. Our laws didn't stop you from using them in public before."

Takahashi put one a small grin. "I'm a staff member of U.A High. What kind of teacher would I be if I didn't set a good example."

The old lady rolled her eyes. "I'll teach him the basics. Now go out there and get talking to Midnight. And try to remain focused while asking her."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." He replied and walked out.

Class 1-A went down to the field with the other students as the award ceremony. Momo was keeping pace with the others, but everyone in their class was silent since the whole exchange. A few jokes between the guys came up, but nothing really got the mood going.

Kirishima, Todoroki, Kaminari, and Jirou were among the few that witnessed the brutality of Izuku's strength up close and seeing it aimed at a classmate was terrifying. Even Ochako had a hard time trying to not feel too fearful of her friend's power.

Momo tried to wrap her head around the entire thing. It was scary, sure, but Izuku saved her with that power. Maybe something about it still wants to help people despite how heavy it feels.

"You got some powerhouses in class. I'm pretty jealous." Momo turned around and saw the class representative of 1-B smiling at her. "Yaoyorozu, wasn't it?"

"Correct and you are Itsuka Kendou. Am I correct?" She nodded and walked a bit closer next to the ponytail girl.

"I've been listening in on one of my classmates Monoma and how you guys are a bunch of show offs with your powers. I don't want to justify his rants, but I can't see myself disagreeing. Whenever you class is pitted against each other sparks fly."

Momo chuckled. "Yeah. We try our best not to hold anything back."

Kendou nodded and looked at the center of the field. "Your class rep seems to embody that."

"Izuku is one of the most determined in our class to be a hero." Momo said with admiration.

Kendou noticed the sparkle in her eyes. "Awe, do the two Class Representatives having something special?"

Momo's eyes dropped their sparkle as she turned bright red. Kendou laughed at her reaction before getting a little concerned at her frozen expression. "Hey. Hey Yaoyorozu?"

"Nothing!" She yelped. Some students turned around to see who yelled and the rich girl covered her mouth. "I mean...Izuku and I are very close friends and our relationship as heads of class doesn't dictate such actions take place."

"Of course. What did you think I was talking about?" Kendou asked. Momo took in a deep breath to calm herself down before silently screaming in her head. The red head snickered at her reaction and thought of one more thing before Midnight comes up. "Then if that's the case Midoriya is open to others?"

"Others?" Momo mumbled. Her memories flashed back to how close Ochako and Mina were getting when Izuku was reduced back to a child. And she remembered how Mina was also the one to beat her in giving a good luck kiss on the cheek for him.

Kendou turned to Momo and felt a little nervous when she saw her looking highly determined to the point where a purple aura was almost covering her. "Eh, Yaoyorozu? Are you ok?"

The girl turned and Kendou felt a chill run down her spine at her face. "Perfectly adequate. Why do you ask?"

"No reason." Kendou quickly turned her attention to the front as Midnight strutted up to the cameras, but a bigger surprise was Takahashi next to her.

"We've had a wonderfully eventful Sports Festival with many twists and turns going all around. But all good things must come to an end and for those who tried, worry not as next year's Sports Festival is on the way. And speaking of here are this year's Sports Festival winners!" Midnight announced. A section of the floor opened up and three podiums were lifted from the ground. Tokoyami stood with his arms crossed in third place. Izuku was sitting on the podium with his cross legged before standing up. He was humming something in his head as his mentality was slowly coming around. And Bakugou stood on the highest podium.

Some people expected such a prideful teen to be beaming or at least acting a bit arrogant for winning the entire festival. Yet the blonde kept his eyes trained to the ground with the occasional glance at Deku.

"Heh, today was fun. Wasn't it Kacchan?" Izuku asked while looking at the crowd of people and students before them.

"Shut up." He said quietly. That made Izuku blink at the uncharacteristic nature of the statement. He looked down and saw Bakugou's right hand was clenched, but there was a jagged scar.

Midnight strolled up to the cameras as they tried getting more shots of the winners. "Third place is shared by Tenya Iida, but due to recent news he won't be able to join us."

Iida's name made Izuku stop for a second. His mentality was trying to figure out why that really bothered him when he looked around for any sign to help him. The news came back suddenly of Ingenium and Izuku's expression fell a bit.

"And here to present our medals!" A boisterous laugh echoed and people turned to the sky. "Is All-"

"I am here to deliver-"

"Might/Medals!" The two heroes were caught in the awkward silence while Takahashi shook his head and chuckled a little at the mishap.

"Good grief you idiots." He said while Midnight and All Might apologized to each other. All Might straightened himself up and walked over to the podium of winners.

"Young Tokoyami, you've given an excellent performance since the beginning of the Sports Festival."

"Those words are too kind. I owe a lot to my peers to even get to where I am." The shadow user responded. Humble.

All Might gave him his medal and a hug to which Tokoyami wondered if this was what justice smelled like. Next he moved onto Izuku. His smile seemed to brighten just a bit as he held the second place medal.

"Young Midoriya, you have definitely made a splash in the world of heroes. Your strength, leadership, and bravery have led you to this spot how do you...feel?" All Might trailed off and people saw how watery Izuku's eyes were getting.

Takahashi turned to object, but stopped. "He's earned it."

"I feel really grateful for everyone." He bowed pretty hard in front of All Might. "Not only to my allies, but to my opponents as well. They've pushed me out of my shell and showed me my current limits. Also thank you for the medal!"

Bakugou looked at Izuku for a second. He wore that same smile that mocked him before and now...now he doesn't know what to feel. He accepted defeat and yet he stands here above Deku. Victory brought glory, but use was that glory if he hadn't earned it. He tried to feel something, but all he felt was numbness.

"Riiight." All Might trailed on before placing it around Izuku's neck and giving him a hug. The boy shaking and his smile was almost radiating as bright as he usual aura.

"Is he always like this?" Kendou said to herself as she felt amused and somewhat warm to the adorable expression he wore despite looking like he could wreck the city a little over an hour ago. "Class 1-A sure is interesting."

All Might moved to Bakugou next. "Ah Young Bakugou, you've kept your promise and displayed great power over your competitors. You've clawed your way to the top and stayed true to your word. Congratulations!"

He was about to put it on when Bakugou turned his head. "I don't want it."

"Ah come now-"

"All Might." The hero stopped as Bakugou stared right into his soul. "This victory means absolutely nothing!"

Takahashi gave a small side glance at the blonde as sparks of his anger was coming back and his stupor finally seemed to have broken. Bakugou turned to Midoriya and pointed at him angrily. "You know what you did Deku!"

Izuku didn't look at him directly in his eyes when All Might shook his head and chuckle. "I see what you mean Young Bakugou, but take this as a lesson and hold onto this event tightly when the next festival happens."

"Like he-" All Might quickly put the medal on his neck as he turned to the crowd.

"All of these young heroes have shown greatness in today's events! Let them and all the others hear from you!" The crowd knew the words and shouted which took over Bakugou's shouting.

"PLUS ULTRA/AMAZING WORK!" A second passed and the crowd turned to All Might who realized what he said. The crowd started booing and called out All Might's misleading words. Takahashi rolled his eyes as the Number One tried to calm the crowd down.

He walked up to Izuku and whispered, " _After your class is dismissed at the end of the day, meet All Might and I at the teacher's lounge."_

The screens showed the crowd and Tomura Shigaraki was seething when a few of the camera angles showed Izuku waving around with that silver medal. His cheek scar could almost ache in both anger and agony at the sight of that smile. Meanwhile his mentor looked at the camera angles that showed Takahashi.

The old man facing away from the crowd and All for One put a hand on the screen. He remembered during the last match how Takahashi suddenly appeared and the flash of blue. "So you live."

"Father?" Tomura asked. It wasn't often that his master seemed so...distant in thought. "Are you...that's the old man that teamed up with All Might and beat Nomu. Do you know him?"

All for One took one more moment to look at the image before smiling. "Of course. And in time you will know as well, but for now focus on building our league. We have two potential recruits to meet in a few days."

"Right." Shigaraki said before he got up. A portal opened and Shigaraki stepped through. All for One turned to the TV again. One of the screens was paused which showed Takahashi, All Might, and Izuku in shot.

The villain stared at the image to see his enemies before punching Takahashi's face and shattering the TV.

"I look forward to our reunion, old man." He walked back into the darkness.

 _Later…_

Most of the students have returned to their class. The excitement of the Sports Festival has left most if not all students exhausted from today's events. Especially Class 1-A as they managed to get into the spotlight once more.

Midoriya was one of the last people out of the locker room with Bakugou walking ahead of him. The tension between the two well known, but now it was just awkward for both of them. Bakugou knows he lost and Midoriya could tell it was eating him. What also was eating him up some of the glances he got from the guys.

The locker room talk was buzzing with anticipation, regrets, and desires. Yet when they talked about Midoriya's fight with Bakugou, the air seemed to be different. Even talking about Todoroki's fight seemed to be a little much if it wasn't mocking Sero for the one hit KO.

' _I can't blame them.'_ He glanced down at his arms.

The scars still felt fresh and they were the only injuries that stayed behind when he healed himself. The bite mark on his arm was already there before his first time transforming. The Nomu wound was next and it was his biggest one. The left arm was badly burned from Todoroki and his right arm was more damaged than the other as he shattered his arm just after falling out of the Warrior's Resolve. And then the secondary scars were from Bakugou's Howitzer Impact.

Each scar brought him close to death or at least to the point of critical injury. And as exciting as having a power like the Warrior's Resolve, Izuku wasn't so eager to have a villain almost kill him to beat them. He sighed a little at the level of damage he's received in little over a year. Having Takahashi around has made Izuku's treatment of his own body lacking.

"Hey guys." Midoriya called out. It was better to deal with it now than letting it stew. "How many of you freaked out when I...you know. Transform."

The guys looked over at Izuku and realized how they might have sounded.

Bakugou tsked and slammed the locker door hard. The guys noticed his attitude and how he stomped out. Izuku looked a bit saddened by this, but tried to keep the conversation going. "I wanted to tell you I'm really sorry for it and I promise not to-"

"Ah mon ami, do not worry." Aoyama leaned on Midoriya to which the green one didn't know how to respond to. "They may not say it, but I for one know how it feels to be the sparkliest one in the room."

"Oh, uh, thanks?" Midoriya said.

"It is no problem. I, for one, admire beauty that comes close to me and shun those who would shame it. But while you are brighter, I am more consistent." His eyes flashed and sparkle signs twinkled around his face. "Au revoir, class rep."

Izuku blinked as the shiny blonde left. "How does he do that? And what just happened?"

"Aoyama's right." Satou said. "We got a little quiet, but that doesn't mean we're only freaked out by that super awesome power of yours. Dude you got the entire crowd to get quiet because of how awesome it was!"

The green boy wanted to respond when Kirishima slammed his locker shut. "Oh man! I didn't realize it was bothering you this entire time Midoriya! If it's any consolation, when you get that new green light on you, it looks so manly on you. Even if it was scary, I can admit it was also the coolest thing watching you beat that monster!"

"Well I never doubted you for a second." Mineta said to his green friend.

Slowly more of the guys came around and reassured him that Izuku wasn't as terrifying as he initially thought. With all the praise, Izuku's eyes shined a little when he thanked them all for the compliments.

The final one came from Todoroki. He put his hand on his shoulder. "You got my old man mad about your fire and when you get a better handle on it I'd like to compare."

"Sure." The memory of it was vague, but Izuku could see small visions of it. Turns out he has a few memories of all his time using his new power. A few punches here and there along with relief in his body from healing. The only inkling of fire breathing he remembers is how raw his throat felt afterwards.

He smiled as his friends left to join their class for their last session before being sent home to rest for the next few days.

As Izuku just dealt with the guys of his class, Takahashi was asking for a favor from someone else.

"So will you help me?" Takahashi asked as Midnight and him were one of the last people in the office. The seductress tilted her head in contemplation as she looked over the forms Takahashi was left with by Tsukauchi.

"Well you need to go on patrol with me and luckily for you I can fit a spot for you. Besides, I'm a little curious about what you can do. Do try to keep up for my expectations."

"Of course my friend." Takahashi bowed respectfully and Midnight blushed a little bit at the straightforward courtesy and not looking too deep into the little seduction laced within her words. She quickly grabbed something and put on top of his head. "Oh...my hat?"

"You left it on the arena after our little finalists blew up a good portion of the arena. I wanted to give it to you, but you were really focused on getting them all healed up."

"Thank you." He adjusted it and walked away. "Oh by the way, when could I expect to join you?"

"Two days is open and we'll be working with some local heroes. Maybe you can start networking." Midnight said as she turned around. "By the way, if you really want to make it up to me, how about we get some dinner next time?"

A moment passed and she turned to see Takahashi was already gone. Her perplexed expression stood for a few more seconds when she shook her head. "It has to be him. Maybe I can fall back on rule on not dating men older than me."

Takahashi went into the teacher's lounge and found All Might preparing a pot of tea for Midoriya. "So when should we expect him?"

"Give it a few minutes. Aizawa is probably debriefing him and his class. No need to rush, we got time."

"Hm."

As they waited Aizawa was weighing in on all their performances. Izuku felt a bit light in his step as he felt better with most of the class feeling ok with his new power. Well with the exception of Kacchan and the girls. Speaking of which, his eyes trailed over to Iida's desk. The knowledge of his brother was going to hurt him so as class rep and a friend, he'll have to keep a close eye.

"I suppose you all did a satisfactory job. Now it'll take a few days for all of us to get the heroes to send in their internships. Take this moment not only to rest up, but also study. As future heroes you should be taking every moment to improve yourself with the lessons learned from today. That is all."

And with that Aizawa left. Bakugou and several others quickly left. The blonde turned back at the moment and his eyes flashed something aside from usual hatred. Izuku barely caught a glimmer of it before the blonde left. He sighed.

' _He must really thought I robbed him of an actual victory. Too bad I lost...oh shit I lost!'_ He looked over to Ochako. She encouraged him to beat him and he lost. She must've been cheering him on like crazy like he was possibly even more than any of his other friends. He facepalmed in how she must have felt. As everyone else was leaving, Izuku tapped Ochako's shoulder.

"Deku?"

"Follow me real quick." He led them away and most people barely noticed with the exception of one pink girl and a pony tail one.

Izuku was pulled Ochako aside from everyone else and around the corner of the class. It was best to get this out of the way, but he wanted to say something before it was buried under other events. "Hey."

"Hey yourself Deku. What'didya-"

"I'm really sorry." Her confusion was very visible. "I promised to beat Kacchan for you when you asked me and I lost. I understand if I let you down."

"Eh? Y-you wanted to talk about that? That I wanted to hear about you about losing to Bakugou?"

He shook his head and Ochako was taken back by disbelief. She shook her head and waved her hands around.

"Deku, you really don't get a girl's feelings do ya?" He flinched at the tone and she realized how it must've sounded. "No, no, no! I'm not mad about Bakugou. I mean sure I was a little sad to see him win, but it was more about you. You really make us worry Deku."

She looked at his arms. The scars just showed how strong yet fragile he was.

"It's not my intention Ochako." He said softly. "The last thing I want to do is to worry you."

He held her hands and tried to cheer her up. She blinked away a few tears and smiled back at him. The moment was quiet, Izuku was actually caught off guard by her appearance in the sunset light.

"Besides if you want to make it up to me, just try to be more careful."

He tightened his grip slightly and look at her seriously. "Ochako. I can make that promise, but we both know that a promise like that's gonna break like my next bone. I would put some money if we say it's my arm."

A silence sunk between them before Ochako, "Pfft! How can you make me laugh about something I worried about!"

The two shared a good laugh between as their held hands fell in front of them. The brunette then looked up to Izuku as he was getting the last few chuckles out of him. He finally stopped and noticed that she was a lot closer.

"Can you just try though?"

"...ok." Izuku mumbled. Suddenly something pink jumped on him. "What the-?! Mina?!"

"That's my name." Ashido said. "I wanted to make sure you were ok before Miss Gravity took you away. Are you ok?"

"I'm fine Mina." Izuku responded quickly and brought her worry to an end. The pink girl grinned and nuzzled him slightly in relief. "Is that all?"

Ochako's mouth almost dropped to the floor as the moment was ruined. She wanted to say something when Momo turned the corner towards them. The presence of the vice rep made her sigh in relief as to ending Mina's little interruption and possibly scold her for being rude for such an intimate-

She slapped her cheeks together when that word came up. ' _Intimate? Intimate?! Where'd that come from?!'_

"Ashido, what are you doing? It's very rude to jump on your classmate like that!" Momo said.

"Aw, but I wanted to check on my cute little Midori." Mina hugged him a little tighter and he could feel her assets squish against his back.

' _CUTE?!'_ The other three thought.

"G-Guys I need to get out of here. Important business and class rep stuff!" He stuttered.

Momo was confused by the statement. "Class representative work? I assumed you'd take care of that after the break."

"Nope, I need to work. Can't relax unless I get that work done. Hahahaha." He awkwardly put when he could feel Mina's golden eyes stare into his soul. She snickered and pressed her lips against his cheek again. Izuku's eyes went blank and the two girls looking at him had their eyes almost bug out.

Mina pulled back and traced around her lips. "Ah Midori, I would believe you if this soft cheek didn't tell me the truth. This is the cheek of a liar and a liar who doesn't mind what's being given."

Izuku turned bright red as he flash stepped out of Mina's grip. The girl almost tumbled over as he appeared right behind Momo and Ochako. They turned around to see Izuku's pink lightning only make his blush somewhat cuter.

"My cheek does not say I'm a liar! And you're too much of a tease Mina!" He ran off after that and left the trio in the dust. Mineta was walking down the halls when saw Midoriya turn the corner and almost ran him over.

"Hey!" Confusion took over the purple boy and he looked around the corner to see a blushing Ochako and Momo and a smug Mina. Mineta's fingers could almost crack the concrete as he deduced what may have happened. "Midoriya, you lucky bastard."

Izuku left the three girls behind. The three waved him goodbye before two of them turned to Mina.

Mina walked off before seeing herself being flanked by Momo and Ochako. "Oh hey girls. What's up?"

"Don't "what's up" us." Ochako said. Her face was red and angry while Momo looked very annoyed. "You kissed Deku on the cheek, again!"

"What of it?" Mina asked as she tilted her head.

"Why Ashido. We're asking why." Momo said bluntly. Her arms were crossed and her glare was something Mina could feel her weaks go weak against, but the pink girl stood her ground like she did before.

"Because...I like Midori. Same boat as you guys."

Ochako and Momo stood completely still for a brief second. Then the two were almost blowing steam like kettle pots. Ochako was stammering and stumbling her words before she covered her face and floated to the ceiling. Momo was aghast by that and tried her best to explain away why that was wrong, but Mina was enjoying the bit of chaos.

"Well if you two don't like him then it why would it be too much if I went out with him."

"Y-You can't!" Momo almost shouted.

The pink girl gave a confused look. "Well why not? Midori seems to like me just fine and there's no real reason for me not to."

"D-Deku might not be comfortable being with a girl in intimate things!" Ochako stated first.

Momo saw an opening and followed through. "Besides he's been our friend for almost a week. He wouldn't date a girl so quickly."

Mina narrowed her eyes when she saw Momo make her move. "Is that so? But you, Yaomomo, have been his friend for quite some time. Longer than either me or Ochako. Are you suggesting that you are the most likely suitor! Midori seemed very cuddly with you when he was all loopy!"

Ochako turned to the taller girl and saw Momo's face slowly turn red. Her eyes became swirls and steam almost whistled out of her ears. The rich girl quivered before she fell to her hands and knees. "Th-that's not what it looked like!"

"Yaoyorozu?!" Ochako shouted to see the girl be taken down.

"But you do make a point Yaomomo." Mina knelt down and patted the girl on the head. "Midori is quite shy around us even with all that confidence. And if I do like him, I want him to fully trust me. I guess I can wait."

"Eh?" The two girls saw Mina walking off again. "Really?"

"Of course. Besides I can spend some time with him outside when we dance together." Mina finished with a quick hip sway before turning the corner. Momo and Ochako just stared at the empty spot where they stared at until the realization hit them both. Their colors drained and left the two black and white.

Ochako almost floated up into the sky when she leaned against the wall. "A-Ashido is...something."

"Yes. She is quite the…" Momo stopped to avoid the word that rhymes with survival. "Opportunist."

"Yeah, but we just looking out for Deku. We don't like him like that." Ochako said, but that last part just made the pit in her stomach grow.

"Yes. I agree. Though it would be rude to imagine Ashido wanting to do anything to Izuku." The two had entered a quick thought where it showed Mina leading Izuku in a small ballroom waltz. She dips him down and lowers her face to meet-

Momo and Ochako batted away the fantasy as Ochako decided that this was enough development for today. No need to remember the big hug that pressed her face against his broad...no, no, no not that or holding his hands just a few minutes-Stop! It still didn't compare to when he saved her-GAH! Ochako quickly said her goodbyes and left Momo alone.

The tall girl watched her dash down the hall and leaving her in a trail of dust. All that ran through her head was the obvious. "She likes Izuku, Ashido likes Izuku...damn it all, I like Izuku. Gah! Why do you have to be so endearing!"

The girl walked off and tried to distract herself with quadratic formulas and the current atomic structures of several different items. She didn't notice a little russian nesting doll falling from the back of her neck nor saw it's design looking like a specific guy.

Meanwhile, Izuku entered the room and saw Takahashi and All Might sitting there. "There come sit down Izuku."

"Right." Sitting down in front of his mentors Izuku knew where this was. "So is this about the Warrior's Resolve."

"Yes." The two teachers shared a glance. "Share your experiences with us."

Midoriya nodded and tried to remember. "It's all a blur. The clearest points is what happened to me before and what happens after. But I do see something. There's people surrounding me. Nine figures all covered in shadows except for the ninth one. It was...me. All green and flamy kind of like when I first delved into my mind in chakra."

Takahashi narrowed his eyes and leaned in a bit closer to listen. "And the other eight?"

"All shadowy and weird. Though I think one of them was a woman and another looked like All Might." He revealed.

All Might's eyes widened. "A woman and me?"

"It's most likely a visage of previous One for All users. All Might have you ever-Gah! You're shaking like a leaf!"

"All Might!" The two grew concerned at the blonde man as he was rattling in his own skin like crazy. The hero calmed down real fast and held his hand up.

"I'm fine. It's just a bit much is all." He cleared his throat. "In all my years of using One for All I've never encountered visions like that. It may possibly be the previous users."

"Previous users?"

Takahashi put a hand on his chin. "Nine figures, one of them of green. The other eight can be seen as the former wielders of One for All. Extraordinary. Then perhaps it's not outside the realm of possibility that One for All and your chakra have synergized into something different. Perhaps the Warrior's Resolve is the closest thing to whatever this new power may be.."

"Oh my goodness!" All Might said. "Young Midoriya, to think you would've reached such a level and in such little time. I knew choosing you as my successor was the right decision."

Midoriya felt jubilanted by the praise. Takahashi slammed his hand on the table to break up the moment. "Not so fast! All Might, while I appreciate you giving encouragement let's not lose sight of the consequences."

"But-"

"Izuku's powers have matured and it is amazing to have reached such power, but time and time again I've warned you of the dangers. I know you would never use it for villainy, yet I do not trust you to take on so much at the moment. A heart of justice does little to prevent it from corroding you from the inside out. Here is the real reason I called you."

Midoriya and All Might turned their full attention to Takahashi.

"At this point of your training having access to that power will prove dangerous for both yourself and your classmates. As such precautions are needed, I've sealed power away from you. Do you have any objections to this?"

"...It saved my life Takahashi. I would be dead right now if it hadn't come to save me from the Nomu. Not to mention healing me from both Todoroki and Kacchan's attacks." He glanced at his scars while Takahashi was ready to get his argument ready. "No, I don't have any objections to it."

"Izuku you...huh?"

"Young Midoriya?" All Might and Takahashi were perplexed by the answer as Izuku cradled his arms.

Green eyes shined in the sunset light. "I...I've become a bit reckless these past few weeks. Even before I found out what was happening to me, I've been diving head first in fights. I could've ran away with Tsu and Mineta, saving me a fight with Nomu. Momo was able to outsmart me in the Cavalry Battle, why I shot myself to beat Shinso, and why with Kacchan and Todoroki I was so eager to test my limits that I ended up using that other power."

He took another moment to collect more thoughts. "I've could've defeated them without it. Todoroki's fire included, they would've easily been beaten by my Full Chakra Cowling. And in all honesty, it scares me. The looks on my friend's faces when they recall it and those who saw it like Jirou or Kirishima always seem uneasy when the subject comes up. I want to be the world's Symbol of Peace. How can I do that if my power doesn't ease people, if I can't smile?"

With that conclusion All Might and Takahashi sighed together. "Your self perception is astounding."

"Thanks. I chalk it up to all the trauma and overthinking." Izuku chuckled.

"You will be ready to use it, but not today." Takahashi said. "Anyways, tomorrow your training continue."

"Uh, Takahashi, shouldn't the boy rest for the next few days? Today was a scorcher." All Might said.

He shook his head. "I'm well aware. However I've arranged Chiyo to begin teaching you the basics of healing chakra. Since you've matured your powers to transfer it to others, I suspect it would best to learn how to heal yourself and others. Especially since internships are around the corner."

"Right you told me this earlier." Izuku said. "It's just the basics so there's not going to be much going on."

"Depends how much you impress her. I warn you though she can be quite strict. Even after all these years she's still quite the feisty woman I worked with."

All Might turned to his friend. "You two sound like you were close. What is your history with her?"

Izuku was piqued by that too as Takahashi realized what he might have revealed.

"Damn it." He muttered and lowered his hat to cover his eyes and possible blush. "We were...together when Recovery Girl was working outside overseas for awhile. I ran into her and she helped me with my own work. It's pretty obvious, but we got close and it was nice until we had to separate. Then I didn't see for over a few decades."

"Oh my God. Hey does chakra have some youth properties to it? Because honestly, it would make the most sense of your age." Izuku said.

"There's some truth to that, but it's also my lifestyle that keeps me like this." Takahashi said. "Anyways we should get going. Inko's probably worried why you're not home. I bet she'll talk about how she passed out a couple times."

All Might followed the two outside of school when there was a green blur that grabbed her son. "Izuku!"

"Mom?!" They looked over to see Mitsuki with an amused expression. "You guys didn't leave until you saw me."

"Oh my baby I was so worried and proud of you! I must admit I passed out a few times. Some were from dehydration and there was some complaining about getting a few people wet, but I couldn't help it when I saw you go on throughout the entire festival."

Takahashi shook his head. Inko finally let go of her son and saw All Might respectfully waving hello.

"Oh Mr. Yagi! Thank you again for helping me through some of my...crying episodes.." Inko bowed respectfully. All Might blushed which hadn't escaped Takahashi or Izuku as they watched the exchange. Even Mitsuki raised an eyebrow at the two. Though it was more suggestive than confused.

"It was no problem of mine. I would gladly help you again Mrs. Midoriya." They held a stare for a second longer before both turned away.

Inko coughed. "Anyways Izuku, Takahashi I'll be leaving with Mitsuki tonight and see you at the house. If I hurry I can get some dinner ready when you get back."

Her boys nodded at her while keeping a suspicious eye. The two left and waved one last time to them. Toshinori was the only one to do so as they left before seeing Midoriya and Takahashi still staring at him.

"What?" He asked.

"What was that? When was this? All the this's." Izuku asked. Toshi tilted his head in confusion at the question before piecing it together.

"Oh. During your match with Bakugou, your mother passed out and I helped assist her with Ms. Bakugou next to us. She was very grateful and I talked to her for a little bit after you passed out."

The two shared a glance with Takahashi turning Izuku away. He took a step to All Might and looked at his soul. "All Might. You are my friend and I am grateful you've helped someone I see as close to me."

"No prob-"

"But." The word lingered as Takahashi took another step closer. His eyes flashed blue. "If this goes anywhere to what I think it may be, I demand you treat her with the utmost respect unless-"

All Might got the idea and blushed very heavily at the implication. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! It's nothing like that! I was merely helping Mrs. Midoriya's condition after she passed out from Young Midoriya's match! She was worried sick about you and passed out from dehydration after crying so much!"

The two backed off when he said that. Izuku's eyes became downtrodden at that, glancing at his arms and Takahashi looked at the ground. Today was pretty eventful and they've forgotten that Inko witnessed every bit of damage Izuku took during his fights. It made sense for someone like her to cry herself out of worry.

"Well thank you for that." Takahashi's eyes returned to being brown. "It's just...Inko has been alone for some time because her husband is missing"

He leaned in to All Might's ear. "And a piece of shit."

The Number One Hero was surprised to hear that as Takahashi pulled back and ignored the suspicious look Izuku had. "So again thank you."

"You're...welcome?" All Might said as Takahashi patted Izuku on the head.

"Good we'll be heading home and help Inko prepare for dinner." He looked briefly at Toshinori. "Would you like to join us?"

"Eh?!" Izuku and Toshi said at his offer. "Takahashi, I wouldn't want to intrude! Besides I'm sure Inko would mind if you brought another guest!"

Takahashi shrugged. "Why would Inko have a problem with me bringing a friend?"

"Uh…" Toshi started, but was caught off guard by the little smile on Takahashi's face when he said friend. It was odd and something he hasn't seen unless it was directed at Izuku. "How can I refuse?"

"Good."


	32. Chapter 32

It was a peaceful sunny day. Birds were singing and flowers were blooming. A small store owner was sweeping the front of his store humming a happy tune. However the peaceful day was to not continue when a shadowy figure came out of a dark alley.

It approached the old man and put a hand over his mouth. "Don't you speak a word old man. I want your money andI won't take no for an answer."

A lady screamed when she saw the two. The villain smiled evilly and dragged the old man away. "Looks like we got an audience. Just comply and I'll be on my way."

"B-But I can't. I worked for my grandchildren."

"And they'll miss dear grandpa if he doesn't cough up the money!" The old man was pushed against the cash register once they were inside. He filled up a bag with money and made a break for the door. Police officers surrounded the area. One of them held up a gun and yelled, "Freeze!"

"Damn pigs." The villain muttered under his breath he turned to the crowd and grabbed the closest person around him. A boy yelped as he was snatched from his mother. "Alright you bastards stop right there or else this child gets it."

"Hold!" The officer yelled and the other law enforcers stopped. The villain sneered as the kid struggled against his grip. He did his best before settling on biting the villain's arm.

"YOW! You stupid brat!" The villain raised his hand to strike the kid when a boisterous laugh echoed in the streets. Everyone looked up to see who it was.

"Not bad kid. But let a hero move in and show this villain how we treat evil here!" A voice boomed. The villain froze when he saw a green light land on the store sign. "For I am here!"

"It's Deku!" Several people cried out.

"Not you, Deku! I will not be foiled here! If you come closer, this child will pay with his life!"

Deku tsked at the villain while waving a finger. "For shame. Hiding behind a child. Only a coward and a bully would do such a thing. And I don't bullies."

"Go to hell!" The villain aimed his weapon at Deku and fired. The green hero jumped into the air and did several flips in the air before getting closer to the villain.

"Detroit Smash!" Deku shouted and knocked the villain away from the kid hostage. The villain was smashed against the wall before a green light wrapped around him fast. They were tied up tightly.

"Thank you mister!" A kid shouted in thanks as he was taken to his parents. Izuku waved at the child. It was another successful day being the hero. Saving people, beating villains, and bringing hope to others, Izuku loved it all.

He turned to the villain that was all tied up. "Damn you Deku! I was so close to getting away."

"You won't beat me. Not as long as I stand here smiling." Izuku's voice boomed. He put his hands on his hips and let out a hearty laugh. People were clapping as Izuku kept up the laugh.

 _What a quaint dream._ A sickly voice said. Izuku's eyes snapped wide open. The people's cheers echoed around and slowly dying. The bright sunny day turned gray and the people's movements were becoming mechanical. Izuku's costume melted away and left him in his casual clothes. _It's a nice dream._

"Hello?" The world around him lost more color. Izuku's good mood plummeted with the color when he got into a fighting stance. "Who's there?"

 _I...no we had dreams. We all had dreams like this!_ A weird noise snapped across the world and cracked the concrete. In between the cracks was a black abyss. Izuku tried to stabilize himself. Yet the concrete broke underneath his soles and dropped him onto the black floor. _You and All Might have such dreams? But will you be the one to fulfill it?_

"What's going on? Who are you?" The black floor cracked underneath Izuku's feet. He jumped into the air before it broke open. Black tendrils burst out and aimed right for Izuku. His heart rate skyrocketed when he summoned his aura. Green and pink light surrounded him as he punched each one away.

One managed to break through his onslaught and wrapped around his leg. It yanked him down into the abyss. The light surrounding his body shedded away like water on a window. His sight was plunged under darkness and it almost felt like he was dragged underwater again.

By the time his lungs started burning, he felt his body be pushed out. He tried to breathe when it spat him out. Hacking hard and trying to breathe, Izuku got up and saw eight black figures. His pupils shrank when they approached him. One by one, they circled around him. The black figures were smokey and had vague human shapes. Their eyes changed from rainbow color to green.

 _We want that. We want those dreams! But for that to happen…_ They took a few threatening steps and the tone became more threatening. One got too close and Izuku turned around and punched it. He felt something solid underneath when his knuckles made contact. The black mass moved with his fist until it broke apart into thin wisps.

It only stood there for a second when a black tendril wrapped around his wrists. It yanked down and slammed Izuku down to his knees. The other black masses surrounded him again. _We need to fight. Fight. Fight!_

The figures chanted the word over and over again with green light peeking out where the eyes would be. A hand grasped Izuku's head and pulled it up. A sickly figure looked down at him when Izuku's eyes were trained onto another figure in the distance. Bright green and coming right towards them, the group parted as Izuku saw everything in slow motion.

 _ **We...need to fight! To have endless battle!**_ The ninth figure, the one that looked like him, jumped into the air. His hand was stretched out to reach him, to hold him, to consume him. Deku could feel the heat from it when it suddenly stopped. The black figures retreated from Izuku as the black tendrils released the boy. He rolled back and saw himself suddenly slam on the ground. Hissing, the Deku figure crawled on its belly, trying to reach his counterpart.

"That's close enough!" Izuku shouted when it tried to reach out and grab him. It froze in its place as blue chains burst from the ground. It growled and roared as it dragged him away from the real Izuku. The ground opened up and swallowed the green Deku down into its maw.

The black figures suddenly appeared, their shapes were less abstract and more human. _How frightening._

"What the hell?" He got up and saw the figures line up in front of him.

 _Your power is...frightening, but useful for when it really counts. Izuku Midoriya, you don't need to ask who we are._ The shadows pulled back on the central figure. A sickly man with pale features and snow white hair approached him. His fingers almost grazed Izuku's forehead. _You know who we are._

A light tap on the head and Izuku was sent flying back. Back over the abyss, into the dream city, into the sky until….

Deku's eyes snapped open. He sat up fast in his bed and panted hard. Sweaty was an understatement. It looks as if he ran two marathons back to back. Clutching his head, Izuku started doing his breathing exercises. This was nothing like his nightmares with the Nomu, but it still sent a tingle up his back.

When he got himself under control, he checked the time. Four in the morning and the sky was still dark. Getting up, Izuku went to the bathroom and turned on the light. Once there, he took off his shirt to get a better look. Turning his back against the mirror, Izuku powered up slightly and saw thick blocky symbols traveling down his spine.

"That must be what Takahashi used to seal my power. I'll have to do my best not to rely on it. It could be a crutch if I grow too compliant on it." He said. He took one last look at himself and chuckled sourly. "Man, all those action heroes looked so cool with the scars. Too bad I never realized what had to be done to get them."

He returned to bed and laid his head on the pillow. Before he could let sleep takeover what few hours he had left before seeing Recovery Girl, Izuku touched his forehead. ' _That guy...he's one of my predecessors. Could he have been first to have One for All?'_

Hours Later….

Todoroki adjusted his bag as he crossed the street. His hands felt a little clammy with what he's gonna do. He paced himself when he crossed the road again. As he did, his eyes scanned around and found a curious sight. Sitting on a bench was Takahashi, surprisingly dressed in more casual clothing with a blue sweater over a collared shirt, but still wearing the white coat of the nurse's uniform and a black U.A cap accompanied with it. His eyes, which Todoroki was surprised to notice were brown, were focused on a small book and it seemed he was entranced with the words.

The teacher looked up and saw Todoroki staring at him. "Ah good day Todoroki."

"Mr. Takahashi. What're you doing in this area?"

The nurse smirked slightly before standing up. "I was taking a walk and wanted to get some reading done. It's a pleasant day isn't it?" The red/white haired teen was a little taken aback by Takahashi's attitude. It was...lighter compared to how most of his interactions were. "I suppose you had a similar idea."

"I was going to visit someone. Someone I haven't seen in a long time." Takahashi put a hand on his chin.

"You seem hesitant. Would you like some company?"

"Sure." Todoroki said after some hesitation. He led the way with Takahashi walking by his side. A few minutes have passed when he turned to the older man. "So...why did you offer to walk with me? Isn't your day normally busy?"

Takahashi lips showed a small ghost of a smile. "Actually it's quite a rare day. It's my day off and intend to use it. Whether be reading on a bench or having a conversation with a student."

' _Alright what's his deal? Could this have something to do with Midoriya? They're close, so no doubt he would tell them something about my past.'_

"Don't look so suspicious. I know you're visiting your mother with the intention of mending bridges. Izuku didn't tell me anything." Todoroki stopped in his tracks. His eyes said it all. How? Takahashi shrugged his shoulders. "It happened when I came to visit you after the USJ. Talking to your sister and noticing her body language around subjects like your mother entailed a different story. She wasn't dead, but missing."

He fully turned to Todoroki. "Afterwards during the Sports Festival, I noticed you have a particular distaste for him. Understandable, but it was a lot deeper than what others would consider. Then a few records later while fixing you up with Izuku after your match lead me to finding out about an incident that had her sent to a mental hospital just a few blocks away."

Todoroki's eye slightly twitched before he relaxed. "You are...quite deductive. But that still doesn't answer why you wanted to walk with me to my mother's."

Takahashi shook his head and tipped his hat in small exasperation. "Good grief, I just making sure you know what you're going to do. I've noticed that you've changed slightly since your battle with Izuku. Your eyes aren't as cold anymore."

The two decided to continue the walk down the street. Todoroki continued, "I appreciate checking up on me again. Midoriya has...changed some things for me and I wish to try my best to fix some things to get there."

"I get it."

The two walked in silence again before Todoroki opened his mouth again. "...you know about my father and our history. What do you gain from associating yourself with us?"

"I know what is like to have a destiny you did not want thrust upon you. And I know about people who have let their ideas of strength cloud better judgement." Takahashi gave a sympathetic smile.

"Oh, um, thank you."

Todoroki was weirded out by the change in behavior though wasn't against it either. He remembered how his brother thought Takahashi was a family member of their mother. There could be a small bit of family resemblance.

They entered the hospital and the staff were surprised to see Todoroki there along with someone new. They identified themselves to the receptionist.

"Oh, I see you're not family." Takahashi shrugged when the teen stepped up.

"He is my teacher." Todoroki explained. He looked at the elevator and felt his chest tighten a little at what's at the higher floors. Takahashi's reason sticked with him and he looked up. "I would like for him to speak of my progress to her. To help alleviate that others know."

They bought it and Takahashi glanced at Todoroki when they entered the elevator. "That was unnecessary. You could have just let me leave. This is something you should do by yourself."

Todoroki didn't say anything, but Takahashi could see he was flushed. He shrugged again as he knew that was a similar reaction Izuku had when he wanted either him or Inko to stay. They travelled down the halls and approached the doorway.

"Take your time. Neither of you are really going anywhere."

"Hm." Todoroki said while facing the door. "This meeting...maybe it should just be me and her. We need to talk about things that you don't know. Next time perhaps."

"I understand. There's something else that needs my attention anyways." Takahashi's eyes changed from brown to blue. He patted Todoroki's head. "It's nice of you to bring me up here though. You'll do fine."

"Thank you I-" He turned around and saw no one behind him. "That's kind of rude."

 _Later_

Ochako Uraraka was getting back from shopping when she returned to her apartment. "Aw man I totally misread the sale signs at the store. I went 1,500 yen over my budget. I gotta make this week's ramen and mochi supply last for at least another week if I want to stay out the red."

Fiddling around her pocket, she pulled her keys out and placed them in. She noticed the three extra pairs of shoes on the floor. Looking up her eyes widened at who was in her home.

"Y-you!"

Meanwhile a green boy jumped off a building.

"Crap, crap, crap! I totally overslept! Recovery Girl's are gonna kill me, heal me, then kill me again!" Izuku scolded himself as he caught himself and ran up the wall. Upon wakaing up, Izuku realized what time it was and bolted out the door with only a quick goodbye to his mother. She seemed to be on the phone with someone so she barely caught it.

Unfortunately his luck kept failing him as the trains had a major delay due to a villain attack. So here he was currently running at his top speed without an powers. Well not exactly. Entering alleyways Izuku would use One for All to move faster. It seemed in his best interest and he didn't break anything he climbed on so it was good.

"Almost there!" He jumped onto a window sill and launched himself to the roof. A mangaka wearing a mask covering his lower face was taking a break from his work only to see Izuku land right in front of him. "Oh I'm so sorry sir."

"Uh, sure. Apology accepted." Izuku ran across the apartment complex and saw U.A just nearby in the distance.

Running to the edge, Izuku jumped into the air and performed a backflip into the nearest alley. Midoriya fell a few feet before catching the railing of a fire escape. A second later, he landed on his feet in the alley nearby U.A. He let out a relieved sigh from another successful run. It's almost become routine at this point to run to U.A when he was a few miles off. It allowed him some room to really let him move.

Izuku's phone pinged and he glanced at it. It was a text from Mina.

 _M: Hey Midori! It's been awhile since we had some time off. You up for a dance lesson tonight or tomorrow?_

Izuku scratched his cheek when he saw that. It has been awhile since he last danced and some of Jirou's songs fit some of the criteria of what he wanted to dance to. Maybe Takahashi would encourage a break after all these training sessions. Heck, he's going to make time for a friend.

 _I: Tomorrow sounds good. I got some music to dance to and I think it'll be fine._

 _M: Aw Midori, you really did listen to some of my advice! Alright I'll clear a spot tomorrow afternoon! Thanks_?

He was a little confused on the kissy emojis, but left to Mina being Mina. He put up his phone and walked over to the U.A gate. Luckily for him, Recovery Girl was waiting nearby. She gestured at him and he followed.

"Good morning Recovery Girl. How're you?"

"Perfectly fine. Today seems like a good day to teach you healing. Are you ready to learn the path of a healer?"

Izuku nodded excitedly. "Yes ma'am! If there's anything to help my career as a hero, I'll do it!"

The old woman snickered. "Don't go saying things like that. You'll give some folks different ideas. Anywho let's continue our way to today's lesson."

Once they were in the nurse's office, Recovery Girl took off her gloves. Her hands have aged alongside her, but Izuku could see it held more strength than most of her body. She held out her hand and hummed softly. Izuku examined her hands and was surprised to see pink light glow from her fingertips. It sparkled brightly until it suddenly stopped.

The old woman wiped some sweat off her brow and looked at Izuku. "Ah my stamina's nothing like it used to be. However I think it's best you see how it. Takahashi's does the same, now it's your turn."

"Oh right." Izuku held out his hands and ran chakra through them. His skin began to glow before it was enveloped in green fire.

"That's enough." The fire quickly extinguished. Izuku looked up confused as Recovery Girl shook her head. "It's clear you use chakra most often in battle. Ever since the Entrance Exam you've relied on it to boost your stats. What you display is a power up not a healing light."

She held up both hands again and her hand sparkled pink while the other was wrapped in embers. "See the difference."

"Whoa. I never noticed it." He looked at his hands and saw powered up his hand. It blossomed into fire. "How do I...do that?"

"Very simple." She waved her hands to extinguish the light. "You transferred your power to your friend, Uraraka. How did you feel?"

"How did I feel?" He remembered being with Ochako. "She was scared and I wanted to help her. I suppose I was worried but not just that."

"Draw on that experience. Power is important but it's the emotions that forge its purpose."

Izuku closed his eyes and tried to draw from it. He remembered how Ochako was scared, how he wanted to help her, and how they both felt when she held his hands. He remembered feeling similar to when he warmed Momo up with his aura. There was no fight. There was only peace and…

"Good." He heard. The green one opened his eyes and saw his hands sparkling. The rush was completely different. It wasn't intense or demanding, it was gentle. "Astounding how quickly you learned that method. Let's test it out."

"How?" Izuku asked. Recovery Girl gave him a knowing smile and faster than he could say anything, a silver light slashed across her left hand. He almost recoiled at the sight of the scalpel suddenly appearing in her right. "Recovery Girl!"

"Oh no, it appears I was attacked and given a deep cut. Please help me hero." She held out her hand. The crimson covered her palm and leaked between her fingers. Izuku quickly put his hand over it and tried his best to keep everything calm.

A small hissing noise sizzled from her hand when she pulled it back. The blood had now hardened and she studied the wound. "Fetch me my kit by the desk."

Izuku bolted up from his seat and grabbed the kit. He handed it over and the nurse started to dress her wounds. "I suppose it was going to be that easy."

"Heh?"

"You've got power and you can easily get a healing light, but your attempt wasn't even surface level." Grabbing a clean cloth, she wiped off the drying blood to reveal a bright red line across her hand. "The surface of my skin around the wounds are in better shape than the actual cut. Upon inspection the blood clots forming are going at their normal rate for me."

"So I aimed it wrong?"

"Perhaps a demonstration is needed." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "This is...something I would never ask anyone in a thousand years to do but I need you to hurt yourself."

"Eh?"

The old lady opened the window. "Don't make me repeat myself. Just give yourself a little cut and I'll show you the difference."

Izuku nodded and saw the scalpel on the desk. Pressing it against his palm, Izuku quickly sliced the skin deep enough to bleed. Holding out his hand, Recovery Girl held it. She closed her eyes and the light sparkled between them. "Watch."

The hissing sound returned and Izuku saw the blood outside of his wound disappeared while the cut itself sealed itself up. "Oh my God."

"Exactly. You saw how the wound itself repaired it. Truth to be told what you did was power me up." She held her hand up and the sparkles turned to fire. "I do not mind the boost, but you need to heal with intent. You gave strength to Uraraka because she needed it. Now I need you to convert strength to vitality. Ready to try again?"

Izuku nodded with determination. "Yes!"

Recovery Girl put a finger between her teeth and bit hard. The bite wound bled and she held it up to Izuku. "Now use your chakra, not to strengthen me, but to heal me."

He held her hand and summoned to good feelings from before. The light flickered and he focused on repairing not strengthening. Slowly the wound healed itself and blood broke down within the light.

"Yes!" he shouted triumphantly before the light died down. "Oh crap wait."

"No it's fine. This is good." Recovery Girl waved off his concern to stopping to early. "This level of healing is perfect for minor wounds. It'll be a little while until you can heal things like broken bones or organ repair, but this is a good place to start."

"Whoa. This is so...awesome! Even if I can't protect my friends and others, I'll be able to heal them."

"Hm doctors and heroes with quirks similar to this always feel that way. I remember in my youth how I felt about that." Recovery Girl remarked. She hopped from her stool as Izuku felt a question form in his head.

"Recovery Girl."

"Hm?"

"You said you use thoughts to heal others. What do you think about?" The old woman stared at the student for a second before a bittersweet smile fell on her face. She went into her desk and pulled out a small framed picture. Handing it over, Chiyo let the image tell her thoughts.

Inside the frame was a picture of a group of people. Several of them looked like foreigners. The wore various robes, battle gear, and masks. Yet despite their fierce appearance happy smiles were present on them. He turned towards more to the right and saw Takahashi. The man himself is barely different from how he looks today with only a few faint streaks of gray in his hair. In his arms was a beautiful woman with a tied up ponytail.

"They were my friends during my time outside of Japan. We helped so many people that were threatened by powerful villains. Eventually we disbanded and tried keeping in contact these past few decades." Her eyes seemed more weary than usual. "Takahashi and I are the only ones left."

"Oh. I am so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine." Chiyo recovered quickly, but he noticed that she wiped her eyes. "It's in the past. Besides, I get to work with him again so it all wasn't for naught. Anyways do you wish to continue?"

Izuku nodded and Recovery Girl held out a manual of different medical procedures.

It felt like hours but, there was a knock on the door. It opened up to reveal Takahashi. "Chiyo, how goes the lesson?"

He glanced and saw Midoriya pumping against the chest of dummy. "Keep up the pace Midoriya. It's okay that the subject may receive bruised ribs, it's better you hear them complain than dead. Oh Takahashi you're here."

Recovery Girl held her hand and Izuku stopped. He turned to see his mentor looking at him with a bit of intrigue. "So what'd you learn today?"

"I can make my hands sparkle!" Izuku held up his hands and bright green glitter shined around his hand. "See!"

"Fascinating." He turned to Chiyo. "And you were worried about teaching him."

"Well I suppose I was considering one person tells me how the art of chakra is very forbidden!" She pointed her cane threateningly. Takahashi held his hands up in surrender as she seemingly wanted to hit him. Izuku noticed how peaceful Takahashi looked despite the old woman threatening to beat him. He looked back at the drawer and remembered how happy he looked.

"Anyways I'm here to pick up Izuku. We got some guests coming and I thought some company would be needed."

"Eh? You need me? Why?"

"Because...they'll like you." Recovery Girl and Izuku looked at each other as Takahashi turned around.

Izuku sighed and bowed respectfully to the head nurse of U.A. "Thank you very much for your guidance and wisdom. I will use this knowledge in the service of others."

Recovery Girl shook her head. "At least you're respectful and know how to make an old lady feel appreciated."

Takahashi and Midoriya got into the car and drove off while Recovery Girl watched them disappear around the corner. As the duo were going down the road, Izuku started the conversation.

"So how was your day?"

"Enlightening. I honestly think you'll like the guests at home today."

"Yeah speaking of which, why are you having people at your house? I don't remember you making all these friends before." Takahashi chuckled as they drove further to the edge of the city. The big buildings slowly transitioned to the smaller ones. "No seriously why?"

The old man stopped at the crossroads before turning right. "I've been thinking of how we're going to tackle your training. As such I found that it's in our best interest to possibly expand my household to accommodate your growing power."

"It feels like it's more than that." Takahashi turned over and they arrived at his humble abode. The house was raised on the edge of the city limits. It had a natural garden to the outside and a small pond in front yard. Everything was simplistic with a few sleek modern appliances.

As they drove in, Izuku noticed the car out on his driveway. It was a simple vehicle with nothing really special.

They parked and Takahashi got out. Izuku followed and he saw two people examining the area. The man was a tall one with brown hair, but the lady with him was almost a deadringer for…

"Ochako?!"

"Huh?" The lady asked and Takahashi shook his head at the outburst. The man looked confused before getting an eyeful of Izuku. "Oh my are you that boy? Honey, I think it's him!"

"Eh?" Izuku asked.

"You're right! I think recognize that green hair anywhere. It was all over the highlights of the Sports Festival." The two adults surrounded him and were getting somewhat close to Izuku, who had no idea what was going on.

"Mama, Papa. Is Mr. Takahashi b-b-b-b-back?! Deku?!" Ochako cried out when she turned the corner and saw her classmate being almost dissected by her parents. "What're you two doing?"

"Aw Ochako sweetie, this boy is just adorable." Mrs. Uraraka cooed. Izuku was totally caught off guard by seeing the two of them together. It was like seeing Uraraka in the future.

"I knew you called him by a nickname, but it never occured to me that you were close enough for him to call you by your first name." Mr. Uraraka said. There was a concerning squeeze from him.

Takahashi uncrossed his arms and shook his head. "Entertaining as a parent screening is I'm here to conduct business. Izuku, why don't you and Uraraka walk around the garden. Show her the garden."

"Uh, sure. So you just needed me to hang out with Ochako?"

"Well there's nothing wrong hanging around your friends unless…" He gestured at the parents who got a little suspicious.

Izuku almost squealed when he turned to Ochako. "There's a big garden. It's a good garden. I'll show you around."

"Oh thank you Deku." He led her away and the two disappeared around the corner. "Bye ma, papa."

Takahashi sighed and turned to the parents. Their glares were gone and was replaced by happy or satisfied expression. "Well the children are gone. I really wanted today's business out of the way before tomorrow. Now shall we continue?"

Izuku showed Ochako around. Due to some deep pockets Takahashi has, he's been able to afford quite a bit of land for his own personal use. Some of it which was used when Izuku wasn't training on the beach with All Might. Though he could see any damage done to the environment was easily fixed by his older mentor.

"Wow this is such a place. The garden is even bigger than my entire apartment complex." She was in awe at some of the plants growing there. "He even has fresh fruits and vegetables growing. How does he do it?"

"Oh well before he worked for U.A Takahashi spent most of his time as gardener. I helped him on occasions and we would sell most of his product to the food market that happens downtown every few weeks." He approached the tree and judged some of its fruits. "Speaking of which we haven't really done much since we started school. Here try one."

Picking it off, Izuku tossed the apple to Ochako. The girl admired its quality and took a bite. Her eyes sparkled at how juicy it was, the balance of taste, and the crispness of the first bite. "Oh my God how can such a fruit taste so good! This is like the produce those fancy fruit stands near the grocery store. Those are things I only dreamt of."

Izuku was taken aback by the powerful flowery aura around Ochako as consumed it. There was an incredibly adorable expression on her face as continued to eat. His heart clenched at such a pure sight.

' _Gah! If she did this as much as Aoyama then we'd all be blind.'_

"Hm what's wrong Deku?" She leaned in a bit closer as she finished up her treat.

"Oh nothing. Say I'm hungry, are you hungry? I can make something." Ochako blinked for a second and next thing she notices is that she's sitting inside the house at the table while Izuku is cutting up some veggies.

' _AAAARGH! What happened?!'_ Both thought at the same time.

' _Ochako was looking so pure while eating the apple I was just wanted to see more and offered to cook. But I can't cook anything good!'_

' _Damn it Uraraka. I got so caught up eating a good apple, Deku must've thought I was starving which I kinda was. But still he just went up and made an offer to cook while I just stood there and took it!'_

Both students almost had a dreary expression on their face as Izuku looked at the varying ingredients laid out before him. "There's so many good dishes Takahashi and mom have made. And all I did was just take it and not bother to learn. No, focus! If I hesitate here then what does that say for my future. Cooking should be an essential skill no matter what the occupation. I have to know when to feed myself."

Meanwhile Ochako was looking worriedly as Izuku stopped cutting the vegetables and was muttering a storm. "Is this...Deku's pre-cooking ritual?"

The chef of the house suddenly realized something. "Wait a second...what does Ochako like besides mochi? That's a good dessert, but what does she like for dinner? Oh no!"

He hit himself on the head a few times when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Deku, are you alright? Is this your pre-cooking ritual?"

"Pre-cooking…? No. Uh, say Ochako what is your favorite dish besides mochi? I would hate to cook something you didn't like."

Ochako blinked before her face got super red. Turning away, she put her hands to her face at the genuine question and reason. ' _He's beating himself up because he wants to make something I would like! No, I can't limit him to what I like.'_

"You don't have to limit yourself to what I like. I'll eat whatever's the chef's special is!" She gave a big thumbs up, but Izuku was inwardly panicking as he turned to the cut vegetables on the board.

' _She's willing to try my own dish over what she really likes!'_ Izuku swallowed nervously as Ochako noticed his expression.

"Deku." He flinched when she said his name. "You don't have to do it by yourself. Maybe...if you'd like we can make what you want together."

' _Damn I can't ignore that deal.'_ Izuku thought. "Oh, uh, sure. Let me pull up the recipe I like for us to do together."

Pulling out his phone, Izuku found a really good katsudon recipe. Ochako agreed to help cook such a dish and soon they began their cooking endeavour. With a few bumps and small accidents, the two found a rhythm to work with. Both of them found the situation very peaceful and the house was surprisingly quiet despite their guardians being nearby.

"Alright so after we finish frying the pork we'll put it on a paper towel plate for the grease to soak up in. Let's check on the rice." Izuku said. They moved the meat and Ochako found herself leaning closer to Izuku. The pleasant atmosphere had some kind of effect while Izuku was checking on the steamed rice. He noticed he was getting a bit closer to her as well. "So I think everything's good. How's the sauce?"

Ochako quickly dashed over to the stove and checked on the consistency. "Smooth. We can do that egg part now."

As they mixed a scrambled egg mix into the sauce, Ochako took one more glance at Izuku. He seemed so relaxed. "Hey Deku…"

"Yeah?"

"So you, uh, ready for internships. I heard we got the next few days off so U.A can get as many offers ready for us as they can. How many do you think you got?"

"I'm sure I got some. Same for you. Hey how did your parents meet Takahashi? I don't remember him telling me about him knowing them"

Ochako put a finger to her chin. "Hm...well remember Takahashi had to give therapy sessions to our class due to the USJ?"

He nodded. "Well he, mama and papa were contacted by him. From what I what they told me, it's that after he reassured them of my safety they began speaking of their occupation. I guess it must've impressed him enough to bring them over."

"Oh so you'll be living with your parents."

"Most likely. You know Deku, I'm actually surprised hearing how close you are to Takahashi. You guys seem like family." Ochako said.

Deku chuckled and continued to stir the eggs. "He is family. Honestly he was something that really was a blessing with me and my mother."

He stopped stirring as his eyes seemed to drift off. In just a second he was four years old again. On his back and Kacchan and the others leaving him behind. The day could've just ended there for him, but Takahashi's shadow appeared over him. With one helping hand, Izuku could feel things at least not be so terrible.

"He gave my life a bit of comfort. Sometimes when I felt the most hopeless, he would be by my side to help me." Ochako noticed how shiny Izuku's eyes were getting.

More memories flashed before him as he recalled times with his mother. Whenever she was sick, Takahashi was there to care for her and the same went for Izuku. He would stay up for countless hours in the night helping him with homework or Inko with taxes. If money was tight, he covered the bill and no pleading from Inko ever changed his mind.

"Mom jokes that he ended up adopting both of us. He apparently "fathers" her whenever they get into an argument." Izuku laughed.

Even with Takahashi, he couldn't single handedly solve every problem for the Midoriyas. Inko still craved the attention of her husband who has all but ended their marriage. Hisashi Midoriya was someone on Takahashi's list of people he would find someday. And as for Izuku, he kept getting bullied for his quirklessness. Hunting down and scaring kids would only draw more attention and with continuous of begging a reluctant man stepped back from Izuku's problems.

"In a way he was my hero. Well the closest one to me."

Izuku recalled another memory where Takahashi was listening to Izuku ramble about All Might and would help with recreations of his great battles. It would end with Izuku laughing loudly with Takahashi on his back and Inko pretending to be a saved victim.

"If he wasn't around, I have no idea who I could've been." He was still shy, nervous, and introverted as hell. However he had a better understanding of how to use what confidence he had through Takahashi. It's why he can joke and quip these days.

"Wow. I'm really surprised." Ochako said. Izuku just nodded absently and before he knew it was putting his head against Ochako's. She blushed hard as he did so until she heard some hissing.

"Deku, the eggs!"

"Oh no! The eggs gonna burn!"

"Turn it off! Turn it off!"

They laid the egg down on the bed off rice and sliced up the katsu. Separating them into five equal bowls, the two teens wiped their foreheads of sweat and stress. Izuku leaned against the counter when Ochako moved right in front of him. He looked a little confused when she smiled and wrapped him in a hug.

' _What? What?! WHAT?!'_ Izuku thought when he felt Ochako press her face against his chest. "Wh-what's with the hugging?"

"You seemed a little...different when you were thinking back." Ochako's muffled voice said. She didn't realize how thin Izuku's shirt was. It was almost skin to skin contact at this point, but her embarrassment was outweighed by her gratitude as she sighed happily.

"Heh, sorry. I will accept the hug." Izuku actually took time to notice that Ochako was a few centimeters shorter than him. He must've hit another growth spurt since he started school. Maybe he'll be as tall as Momo by the end of their time in U.A.

Then their moment was cut off by a flash of light. Ochako and Izuku immediately broke apart to see their family looking at them. Ochako's mom was so elated by the prospect while her father was just as bouncy at Ochako "finding love". Takahashi just stood there with his arms crossed.

"Well I'm glad you didn't burn down the kitchen." Was all he said. Izuku noticed the weird glint in his eye as he sat down. "Thank you for dinner. My new tenants would also be happy."

"What?!" The two teens asked simultaneously.

Mrs. Uraraka nodded. "Mr. Takahashi has actually offered us room and board while we're here expanding his household. Free of charge as long as we get work done."

"Frankly, it's a little too much and we'll definitely have to make things worth it." Mr. Uraraka said.

"It all works out in the end." Takahashi said as he grabbed his chopsticks. "Your business is given a substantial check and there's no issue of travelling here. Ochako is very welcome to join you when time permits."

"R-Really?"

Takahashi nodded before pulling out a bag. "Speaking of which, I have extra produce I wish to be rid of before the new season begins. The farmer's market had to be cancelled this week due to some villain activities so consider this a gift."

The bags were filled with all sorts of goodies. Ochako's jaw dropped as she looked back and forth between her parents, Takahashi, and Izuku.

"Th-This seems a bit much." Ochako said.

"No it's not. As your parent's client I would like to give them proper incentive to work their best in order to compensate for my kindness."

Izuku was aghast by this when Mr. Uraraka punched his palm. He had a pinkish purple aura around him with his eyes turned pure white.

"Oh don't worry Mr. Takahashi. We ain't gonna forget this and we'll follow your plans to the letter. Nothing can stop an Uraraka!"

' _Geez that's Ochako gets that aura.'_ Izuku chuckled inwardly in his head. Takahashi seemed delighted by that as he bit into the katsudon.

"Of course. I expect nothing by exemplary work with those I associate with."

Ochako turned to Izuku. "He's really different outside of the school. Most of the time he just has that blank face."

"Yeah." He remembered the picture in Recovery Girl's office. His face was smiling happily with the younger her. Izuku smiled happily when he and Ochako sat down with the adults and indulged in the katsudon.

It was ok, but the atmosphere around it made it seem excellent in memory.


	33. Chapter 33

Gunshots rang throughout the building alongside the sound of torn flesh. Men and women's screams echoed in the night though no one outside senses the danger.

Two thugs stuck close to the wall. Their quirks could nothing to the situation and their palms were slick with sweat. They could barely hold on to their guns.

"Shit, shit I knew this day was coming."

"Shut up! We can still win!"

"How?! This entire complex was decked out to stop this man, but it hasn't even slowed him down. Everything has gone to shit!" The first thug cried. He kept sobbing for another few seconds when he looked up at his suddenly silent partner.

His eyes almost bugged out of his head to see a pink blade sprout out of his friends mouth. The eyes were rolled into the back of his head while the thug hear the sizzle of flesh against the blade. The blade jiggled for a second then slid up the wall. The head split open with brains and blood dropping to the floor.

"AAAAAAHH!" The thug screamed. He jumped away from the wall as it broke down. Light poured into the room with a figure standing in the middle of it all. The light slightly died down and what was laid before him rocked his very core.

Corpses strewn across the way, guts spilled out, faces caved in, almost every bit of body horror that could happen to a body was on display.

The man responsible, Vali, simply brushed off his shoulder and walked towards him. His steps sounded like death bells as he approached him. The thug wheezed as his enemy got closer. With one last scream he pointed his gun and fired all the rounds he had left.

A pink shield appeared to catch all the bullets being fired. Each one didn't make a difference towards his opponent.

Vali smirked at his attempt and suddenly appeared behind the thug. With a thunderous kick, shattered legs were flung into the air and his opponent screamed in agony. He could no longer feel his legs, but he could see them across the room.

"Your boss wasn't a nice man and none of you have the quirks I'm looking for. Have it be known that this is not personal." Vali formed a pink blade in his hand and plunged it down the thug's head. He watched the light fade from his eyes before getting up.

"Great." He sighed. His eyes turned bright pink and all the bodies in the entire building began to glow. "Bum, bum, bum. Another bites the dust."

The thug's flesh turned to dust leaving behind a skeleton before it turned to dust as well. "And another down and another one down. Another bites the dust, hey."

He walked out of the building with his long coat billowing softly in the wind. "Hey, I'm gonna get you to. Another one bites the dust."

He turned his back and didn't know that several buildings across, a woman was taking several pictures. There was one picture where she saw that his color changed from pink to blue. She was sweating heavily after witnessing the massacre inside. Fear held her in place and prevented her from doing nothing but the task at hand. Even if she wanted to call the police or even her own backup, it would only serve to draw his wrath.

" _Scarlet. Scarlet come in."_

"Here."

" _Tell us. Was our source correct? Was the Western Branch killed?_

"Y-Yes. And, and it was only one man, Mr. Argon."

" _Good lord. Retreat for now and send an anonymous tip to the police. We might actually need the heroes on this."_

Scarlet nodded as she watched the man disappear into the darkness. "He's a monster. Who in the world can tolerate such a thing?"

"Meow." A cat said.

A teenager was holding the cat with a blank stare looking right at it. "Such wisdom held behind such a complex language."

"Really? This is how you maintain your attention, Danju?" The teen turned and saw Vali standing over him with an amused grin. The cat took the moment to move out of Danju's grasp and ran back down the alley. "Are you trying to tell me we need a cat?"

"Cats are nice." He got up and patted the dirt off his pants. "Did you...is there anyone left?"

"Do you see anyone with me?" The father waved his hand behind him. Danju looked towards the shadows and sighed. "What?"

"Nothing."

Vali and Danju walked off to someone where more quiet. "Then let's continue on our way. Today we'll be searching for and evaluating our "interesting" targets. Izuku Midoriya and the man now named Takahashi."

Danju glanced at his father and saw the pink in his blue eyes returning. "It will just be observation today. Do not engage in any way."

"Are saying that for me or for you?"

"Yes." Vali said. "However, you know your target. Oh and your free to do some...questionable tactics to see how he runs."

The father and son duo agreed to the terms of their plan as they looked up to the rising sun. With a flicker of light they two disappeared, engaging in today's espionage.

 _Across Town_

Takahashi walked down to his basement. Another sleepless night with him now balancing new tenants and a possible super hero exam today. Removing the carpet and underneath it was a floor door. Opening it up, there was a black case.

"I haven't worn these in years." Lifting the lid, Takahashi felt a wave of nostalgia wash over as he pulled out his old gear.

A few minutes later, Takahashi tightened his gauntlets around his wrist. He stood up straight as he looked in the mirror. The entire outfit has a dark navy and black color scheme. The coat was to the length of his thighs and was padded with durable material to take hits. He adjusted his shirt slightly before it clung snugly to his torso. The rest of his outfit consisted of black pants with army boots.

Taking one last look, Takahashi pulled the hood of his coat over his head. "This will do."

He leaves the house to see the Urarakas already beginning the expansions to his house. With a quick good morning and goodbye, Takahashi gets in his car and drives off to meet Midnight.

 _One Hour Later_

Walking down the street, Takahashi found the spot where Nemuri texted him to meet. He checked his phone again to see what she had to say.

 _N: Up on the roof._

Adjusting his stance, he jumped into the air and landed on the roof of the building. A small clap was heard behind him as he turned around to see Midnight. "Whew, I give ten points for the jump. Minus two for not making it dynamic enough."

"Really?" He asked. She waved him off before noticing his new change in wardrobe. Taking a few more steps closer, she was giving him a deep scan. "What?"

"Hm, I don't think I've ever seen you not wear your lab coat with the one exception when you took me home and even then you wore black." Midnight said and scanned deeper. "Look at you. You went from white to navy."

"Blood's harder to scrub out of white."

Midnight raised an eyebrow. "Yours or theirs?"

"Yes."

The hero clapped her hands together. "Well on that note, I'm glad you came to me with your recommendation. I'll make sure your day is not wasted!"

"Thank you." He walked past her and looked over the city. "So where are we going?"

"We are actually waiting for the rest of our entourage. Kamui Woods, Death Arms, and Mt. Lady."

"Oh those three. I came across them during the Sports Festival. Mt. Lady especially."

"Eh? What do you mean especially?" Midnight pondered for a second before remembering some rumors. Her cheeks got slightly red. "Wait, did you give her some free snacks after she showed her body to you?"

Takahashi tilted his head in confusion. "No, we haggled. Luckily for me, I won."

"Oh." Midnight turned away and smirked. "I guess she didn't try-"

"No, she tried something." Takahashi said. Midnight flinched at the sudden answer. "Objectively attractive sure, but nothing on my preferences."

The R-Rated Hero slowly turned her head with all new questions going through her head, but before she could ask any there was the sound of two more landing next to them. The pair turned around to see Death Arms and Kamui Woods.

"Midnight and...is he a new part of the Midnight boys?"

"The Mid-who?" Takahashi asked before Midnight hushed him and sauntered over towards the bigger hero.

"Sadly no. My boys are handling my business at the moment in my agency. This man is a future asset of the police to help us."

Kamui Wood's eyes widened. "Another vigilante? Oh my goodness, they keep popping out everywhere."

"Don't you remember me?" Takahashi asked.

Kamui Woods and Death Arms took a second before Takahashi sighed and pulled back his hood. The two heroes almost bugged out when they saw who it was. They did see him save an entire stadium from becoming a snow filled crater.

"Y-You?! Wait, you mean U.A has someone as powerful as you but never became a hero? How is that possible?"

"I didn't want to be one. However as a teacher and faculty member of U.A it's within my best interest to gain some form of license to protect the lives of my students." Takahashi answered. "Now is this everyone?"

Kamui Woods shook his head. "Unfortunately no. We're awaiting Mt. Lady."

Unknown to all of them, one man was listening in and quickly disappeared into the shadows.

"Will it take long?"

"She...has a tendency to pose for the paparazzi. It's something I need to do less of." Kamui Woods sighed.

Death Arms shook his head. "You need to teach your kouhai better manners. We've got business and it's always best to be on time."

Midnight shook her head. She turned to Takahashi. "We're not going anywhere, but we need to leave soon. I'm guessing where you know she is. The police station near the business district is where we're supposed to go."

"Understood." He stepped away from Midnight and turned away from the group. "We'll catch up with you both."

"Hold up." Takahashi looked at Kamui Woods. "Uh, maybe I should go to retrieve her. If you recall, she's not exactly happy about losing all those yen to you from the takoyaki stand."

"I don't care. We've got a job and she's late. I doubt seeing me will trigger anything unpleasant." Then he disappeared in a blue flash.

Meanwhile Mt. Lady just finished stopping a car chase and was answering a few questions. "Yes, I'm really glad to have stopped all those crooks. It's just my job."

"Mt. Lady, Mt. Lady! Can you give any details on how being hero is on your personal life? Something for the people to know?"

The blonde chuckled for a second as she pondered on the question. She opened her mouth to answer when she felt something around her. Something calming. Her body relaxed for a second as she felt the wind against her ear.

' _He's coming. Don't let him embarrass you again.'_ Mt. Lady's eyes drooped for a second when she snapped back to the interview. The reporter was still looking at her to answer. "My personal life it's all…"

"There you are." A voice said. Mt. Lady felt anger course through her body for a second as she turned around. The reporters looked in the same direction and saw Takahashi there. His hood was pulled back so they could clearly see his face. "Kamui Woods and the others are waiting for us. We should go."

"You…" Mt. Lady said. Her blood pulsed and she could feel herself feeling more angry. "What're you doing here?"

"Oh My God! It's him! The nurse from the USJ!" one of the reporters shouted. Mt. Lady then watched as the adoring press left her almost immediately to swarm over the new meat. The hero clenched her fists at the sight. Takahashi didn't look too phased by the attention. "Sir, sir can answer a few questions."

"No. I'm here for Mt. Lady." The press heard those words and new questions emerged. Juicy ones.

"Are you guys a couple?"

"Reports of you two were first seen at the Sports Festival! Was this the start of a relationship?!"

"Sources say they've seen you with the R-Rated Hero Midnight! Are two timing them?!"

Mt. Lady wanted to object. She had to. No way she was dating this man. This man who humiliated her, took her money, and had the audacity to come pick her up like she was a child. Her rage was reaching a breaking point.

Takahashi, on the other hand, was actually impressed by how quickly everything turned from one statement. Unfortunately it wasn't going to prevent his annoyance,

"Alright get out of here. You can cackle like hens about the giant and rumors later." Takahashi said. Mt. Lady felt the last spike of anger hit her heart hard as her body got ready ready for a fight.

"Eh?! You got something to say, you old prick? "Giant"? What the hell do you mean by that?" The reporters noticed the shift in her demeanor.

Takahashi scanned her body and noticed that she was really riled up. "I meant nothing by it. It's your power isn't it."

"Oh no. You definitely meant something. What're you trying to say? That I'm too big? Too fat? Oh you're really asking for it ever since the Sports Festival. Can't stop without annoying this heroine, huh?!" Her fists were clenched as Takahashi got his hands out of his pockets.

The reporters almost leaned as she was breathing harder.

' _What the hell? Kamui said she didn't like me, but to be angry at a few choice words. I need to hold her back.'_ Lunging right at him, Mt. Lady expected to feel face against her knuckles. Only to feel the concrete instead. She got up and saw Takahashi a few steps away from where he originally was. ' _Maybe I'll wear her down.'_

"Oh take it like a man!" With speeds he didn't expect, Takahashi raised his arms up to block the first punch.

It was the first of many as Mt. Lady was dead set on breaking through. Takahashi was actually surprised by the amount of strength behind it. All Mt. Lady saw was ready when she launched one hard uppercut.

Takahashi's arms felt the knuckles press under the weak spot of his defense as they were forced apart.

"What the-?! You managed to break through?" He started. Mt. Lady sneered as her eyes seemed to shine with delight.

"Stunning, huh? Let's see how you like-" She threw one more punch straight at Takahashi's chin when his eyes turned blue.

"Enough!" He said and disappeared right before her eyes. Her fist cut through the air and the reporters were caught off guard by his sudden disappearance. One of them finally saw it and pointed.

Mt. Lady turned around to see Takahashi standing behind her. His true height almost overshadowing her normal stature.

"When did you get behind-GOGH!" She was cut off by a solid right hook to the face. The heroine slammed against the ground.

"Holy shit. He punched her!"

"That's a hell of a knockout punch!"

The reporters were clamoring at the results of the fight when their cameras stopped working. In fact all of their equipment stopped working. Their excited faces fell as they tried to figure out what just happened.

"SHUT IT AND GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE BEFORE YOU MAKE ME ANGRIER!" Takahashi screamed. The reporters didn't know what else to do, but pick up their feet and dash off. It was almost instinct to run away. The old man sighed and turned to Mt. Lady who was face down. "Good grief. I can't take anymore paparazzi. Now for you."

He knelt down to Mt. Lady, but something felt off. The second his chakra touched her, something else lit up. For a brief second it felt like another's...he shook his head. The man focused on bringing her back to consciousness.

Mt. Lady felt many things in her career. The pain of training, the countless hours standing before flashing cameras, and some arduous fights with villains. The whiplash of battle always got her winded up.

Her eyes opened up and she saw Takahashi looking down at her again. Only this time it was with a bit of concern. "How are you feeling?"

"I...I dunno. My cheek hurts."

"Why did you attack me?"

"Attack you? Because you..." Mt. Lady paused. The rage was gone, but everything was a blur. All she knew was that Takahashi was in front of her and then a flash of pain before waking up. She rubbed her head. "I...I don't know. How-Why would I attack you?"

"You don't remember?" Takahashi felt his concern grow a little. "Never mind. We should get going. Kamui Woods and the others are waiting."

"Wait." He stopped. "I don't remember, but I did feel really angry."

"You hold grudges against Takoyaki stands?" Takahashi asked. Mt. Lady pouted a little at the accusation, but turned her head away.

"Let's just go and...keep it between us."

"Sure."

 _Enter Izuku_

"Midori! Thanks for coming. So how're you?" Mina was stretching in front of the mirror as Izuku entered the building.

"A little tired, but excited to dance." He said before looking to the side. ' _I totally forgot again that we were having another dance lesson. After dinner with the Urarakas, I had to cram up on all my studies last night since I hadn't done so since the Sports Festival.'_

"I see. Well hurry up and get changed." Izuku nodded and left the room. Once Mina was alone, she went to her bag and grabbed a few CDs.

' _Alright! Tooru managed to pull through for me and buy me the latest dance tracks. Midori and I will be bumping and grooving so hard today!'_ Her mind flashed towards all the exciting moves they'd do. ' _Kyaah! I can't wait.'_

"Hey Mina. I got a few songs." She turned around and saw Midoriya with his phone out. "Jirou recommended it."

"Heh?" Mina said.

"Yeah, I've texted her a few times and she gave a few music recommendations. I listened to them and I thought we'd practice with them." Mina slowly put her CDs back in her bag.

' _Jirou and Midori have been talking? Could there be a new rival? No, that wouldn't make sense. I don't think they've talked too much to have that be a possibility.'_

"Mina?"

"Let's dance now!" She grabbed his phone and connected it to her speakers. "Stretch before we start."

"Ok. Oh I think the third song would be best to start with." He replied.

As Mina was looking through his playlist to find it, she took a quick peek at Midoriya. No doubt with his lean build and athletic capabilities, that he was very flexible. She outclassed him by a small amount though. Though Mina could hardly think of any of that when she sees his shirt rides up slightly to expose a bit of torso.

"Damn."

"Hm? Am I stretching wrong?" Mina snapped out of her gaze and blushed.

"What? No, no, no! I'm just saying damn because...you are more flexible than I thought." He tilted his head slightly. "I mean you never really stretched this much before."

"Really?" He chuckled. Izuku performed a perfect split on the ground and smirked at her. "Never really noticed."

Mina cleared her throat and turned away. She was a little put off because of his cocky attitude and not because she could see how his body flexed it's thighs. Or how his attitude made his soft green eyes something more desirable. Or how he can manage both a shy and confident persona. It was really unfair.

"Mina? You ok?"

"I'm fine, Mr. Stretchy! Let's get going!" She quickly made him stand up. "Let's hear what Jirou gave you!"

Surprisingly the music was a bop. After a slow build, Mina could feel the energy from it. She made a mental note to ask Jirou what else she had in mind. The pink girl was bobbing her head to the beat and turned towards Midoriya.

He was sitting down with his eyes closed, legs crossed, and patting his lap to the beat. He looked so at peace and not at all jittery. She could get used to seeing him like that.

"I think we can work with this."

"Great!" He opened his eyes and hopped up. "Let's get started."

 _With Takahashi_

"Thank you all for coming today." The police chief said. Takahashi glanced around the room and saw it was the chief, Tsukauchi, and the rest of the heroes. Mt. Lady shot him a one off glare while Kamui Woods tried to get her to pay attention. Death Arms stood the furthest from him and Midnight was right next to him. "The information will be presented by Tsukauchi. Take it away."

"Of course. We begin with the crime statistics of Musutafa within the past two years." A display of crime statistics shows a steady spike of crime rising up and down before plunging down. "As you can see the spike has gone rather consistently and it's more prominent since last year."

Kamui Woods raised a hand. "Yes, we've been establishing new heroes in the city. Even with Mt. Lady's debut the statistics dropped."

"Not to mention All Might's within the city. How are the numbers a call for concern?" Death Arms added and asked.

The detective nodded at their points. "Ah you see that's the thing. We're currently looking at the overall crime wave that's appeared. And while All Might's presence does minimize any upstarts we've had an unfortunate correlation between the numbers of missing people."

The graph switched over to a board of multiple people. Takahashi crossed his arms as he saw the date in which they were reported.

"Even with All Might entering the scenes, we still had a considerable amount of gangs within Mustufa's areas. Most populated the more middle and poverty level areas of the city. Yet there a few prominent figures in here that Kamui Woods and the others have fought."

The group of heroes raised more than a few eyebrows at some of the bigger photos with gangsters they knew.

"Really? All missing?"

"Yes, this is where we come in. We don't know where they've gone. There's been rumors but…"

"But what?" Takahashi asked.

The detective rubbed the bridge of his nose. "There's been talk from what our sources can gather of who's behind this."

"Who? You mean just one person?" Mt. Lady asked.

He nodded. "Exactly."

The room grew quiet with each hero really thinking about a villain who could take down multiple gangs. Takahashi felt that atmosphere and knew the feeling of worry. Someone like him could take them on as his powers extend beyond just destruction.

"We've obtained a photo from an anonymous source along with the location." The hologram changed the images to include a blurry pic. The only thing worth noting was the eyes. The moonlight revealed how blue they were.

"Hey that looks…" Midnight started and turned to Takhashi who looked impassive at the image. Kamui Woods and the others also took a glance at Takahashi and noted a few similarities as well.

"Is something the matter?"

"N-Nothing! We just wanted to see what you were thinking." Midnight said.

The man noticed the somewhat suspicious looks the others were giving him, but he pointed at the image. "I'm curious about the group and their quirks. Even if we were to assess the threat, it'd be nice to find possible quirks that could counter a majority of one gang. I'm suspecting that these men were once in charge of a decent amount of territory."

"Hardly." Tsukauchi said. "Musutafa has been declared one of the safest cities in the world due to All Might's presence. Most of the gangs in the area have lost considerable territory to the point where they only control about three to four blocks of territory. And that's not the only problem."

Another image appeared and showed the inside. It was clean with the exception of dents in the wall and broken furniture.

"This place was completely clean. Besides the destruction, the place was entirely spotless. No DNA to be found. Skin, blood, saliva, nothing could be recovered so the victims have disappeared. It matches several other locations where something similar has happened. In all honesty this picture was the only bit of evidence we could get."

"What?"

"Could this guy have a partner? It's one thing to be able to take out an entire gang, but to destroy any evidence of a person, that sounds impossible for one man." Takahashi put out there.

"That's what we hope to find today. The people who sent us the photos wished to meet some of us in order for this problem to go away."

"Heroes negotiating with gangsters?"

Midnight turned to her friend. "That doesn't mean we turn a blind eye to what they've done, but it's very rare that a criminal group would open their arms in order to defeat a common enemy. We should use this opportunity to take down a bigger threat."

"I am familiar with working against common enemies. I'm not against it."

Tsukauchi clapped his hands. "Then we will act on it if no one else has any objections."

The group of heroes looked amongst each other before they all reached a consensus. The movement was approved and everyone made their way to the rendezvous point.

Within the hour, the heroes arrived at the meeting. The group separated as it they went over the plan.

"Two of us will walk in and handle the negotiations with the gang leaders. Should things go south, we'll move towards our usual tactics." The police chief turned towards the heroes and pointed at Kamui Woods, Death Arms, and Mt. Lady. "You three will serve in defeating these criminals should our negotiation team fail."

"Kind of you to consider our position, but we'll be fine." Midnight said.

"Doesn't hurt to have a safety net." Takahashi replied. The police chief turned to them and signaled them to begin. Midnight did a quick stretch and took the first step. Takahashi followed in suit.

His eye color changed as he scanned the area. "Twelve people within in the building. They have varying levels of strength and are hidden in secret rooms."

"Really?"

"Count on it." She opened the door and in the empty bar, sat one man with a couple of lackeys sitting around him. One blackhaired male and one redheaded woman. The two shared a look before both activated their hidden wires. "Four here which means the others are hidden."

"Just make sure none of them try any funny business. I'd hate to put everyone down before we get anything juicy." The man was always surprised by how fast the act of the R-Rated hero Midnight persona came in.

"Midnight and…" He eyed Takahashi weirdly. "You're not part of the Midnight boys."

"I'm backup. Don't mind me, just keeping an eye on her."

The boss nodded. "Anyways, I am Argon. Leader of this here gang. It's very rare to say, but please make yourself at home."

"A gentleman. This is a surprise." She sat down and one of the men poured her a drink. Her companion took a close look at it, but she put aside. "So you have information on a dangerous individual."

"Of course. This man has been running around Musutafa killing many people, but that's not what alerted us of him." He placed a picture of a guy on the table. He looked like the standard goon. Bit of weird hairstyle and few scars were his only really significant features. "Koichi Kacho, a former member of our family. A few weeks ago, he struck out trying to start his own gang. I had Scarlet take a few pictures."

More pictures were shown. Out on the street, they all tried to look casual and hung around several spots. Takahashi studied each image, but felt mildly concerned when he saw a tuft of green hair in the background.

"Those people. A few of them match the missing photos at the station." Midnight recalled. "What about the leader?"

"When we first saw him, we assumed his gang just broke apart. But when we saw that his new groupies came up missing that caught our eye. We've seen him only a few times, but there was something different about him." Argon said. "He's been acting like he doesn't know any of us. He may have left, but it was on good terms. So we decided to see what was up and tracked him his movements."

"Awfully cautious are you. His new gang goes missing and yet he seems fine."

"That's when we began thinking that this was more than a disbandment. We decided to track him down and finally we found him scouting this building." Scarlet placed another photo on the table. Midnight and Takahashi noted that it was the same building that the police searched before calling them. "A few nights later and then...well we gave you the result."

Outside, no one could see their shared man near the building. Vali was listening to every word and could sense Takahashi's presence. Feeling the calm aura around him ironically made his blood pump with negative emotions.

"To think you would appear when the heroes are searching for me. Are chakra users just drawn to each other that way?" He reached within his jacket and pulled several throwing knives. "No matter, I just need a second to push that man in my direction."

Placing his foot down, Vali pulled back his arm before throwing the knives as hard as he could.

Midnight was about to talk when they all heard the glass shatter. Takahashi's chakra flared and slow his perception of time to a crawl. The knives were aimed at everyone's head but his.

Takahashi's sixth sense flared up as he saw several knives be thrown. His eyes turned bright blue as he summoned a wall of chakra to catch it. Scarlet and Argon almost fell out of their chairs.

He turned to the source and for a brief second pink eyes met blue. Their common connection strike like lightning to Takahashi when Argon freaked out. Scarlet was almost hyperventilating at the sight. "You double crossing bitch! You brought him here!"

"Huh?!"

"What?!"

"BOYS!" Argon and Scarlet stepped away as the gang members appeared from their hiding spots. "You thought you could kill us too, huh? You got the heroes on your side?!"

Midnight stood up and got into a fighting stance. "What are you saying?"

"Your guard is the man we're all looking for!" Argon yelled.

Takahashi dropped his chakra shield and pulled himself back. "Damn it all."

 _With Izuku_

"Come on Midori, you were getting the hang of it." Izuku groaned as he peeled himself off the ground. Mina went over to turn off the music and reached in her backpack for two bottles of water.

"You know I thought this lesson could make up for what happened at the Sports Festival."

"The Sports Festival?" Izuku got up and sat up as Mina sighed. She passed him a water. The pink girl plopped herself down and takes a moment to collect herself.

"Yeah. I kind of wanted today to be a sort of apology for the whole abandoning you thing when it came to the second event." Mina and Izuku's mind flashed back to that event. "We're friends and during that time you looked at me for support, but I didn't really do that for you. I've been feeling a little bad whenever I thought about it."

The girl was twiddling with her fingers. "It's fine. I already forgave you."

"Eh?"

"Yeah it's fine. The Sports Festival was meant for all of us to make a good impression on other heroes. You did what you had to do and I don't mind it." Izuku laid back on the smooth wooden floor. "To be honest I was happy to get the chance to go against you and all the others. You all really put my skills to the test. Heck, I think I had a better time fighting you and Momo than most of my tournament fights."

Silence between the two.

"Are you a masochist?"

"Huh?" Izuku immediately sat up to look at the somewhat serious expression on her face.

"Or were you just happy that two girls double teamed you. Midori, you have such a naughty mind." Mina's expression turned into a teasing expression. Izuku felt heat on his face rise up as Mina leaned in a bit closer. He turned his cheek to her and her eyes almost shot up. "Oh, you want a kiss. I guess it can be my thank you."

"Wh-wh-wh-what do you mean by that?!" He felt Mina's warm breath against his skin and was almost burning up from the inside.

"Just this, Midori~" She cooed when tapped her lips then his cheek. Izuku's freak out paused as he turned to her. The girl was smiling happy before he gave up and laid back on the floor. "Aw were you expecting something else?"

"You know what I take back my forgiveness."

"What?!" She exclaimed. Izuku turned his back on her and she got all teary eyed.

"Wait, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry! I won't tease that much anymore!" Mina profusely said. Izuku slightly smiled at her apology and sat back up. He put his chin high in the air and kept looking up. "Oh come on, what do I need to do?"

Izuku took a moment to think and realize he hasn't done one thing since the Sports Festival. Something that would get back at Mina, but help her in the long run of their time in U.A. He turned to the pink girl who was desperately stuck in some weird conundrum where Izuku held the cards. All of his shyness towards her teasing had made her forget how intelligent he was in other ways.

"I have one thing. Mina Ashido, go on a study date with me!" He said.

Mina looked at him for a second before her eyes started sparkle and her brain already started to hurt. The words Study and Date were supposed to be two things that Mina Ashido would never put together. One hurts her head along with her hyperactivity not allowing her to stay in one place for too long.

On the other hand it was word date. Oh the romantic part of her was elated, elevated, other E-word that means happy or high. It was a battle between her two best traits but there could only be one winner.

"Mina?"

"YES! I'LL GLADLY HAVE A STUDY DATE WITH YOU!" Izuku was almost blown back by the amount of energy. "I mean sure. I can do some studying. I teach some dances and you help me with lessons. Quid pro Duo right?"

"Quid pro Quo." Izuku corrected.

"See you're already helping. What should we do?"

Izuku smiled as he put on his shoes. "I have the perfect idea for the study date."

Her face lit up with how Midoriya seemed to handle this. Mina's expression of joy, however, was replaced with a face of dissatisfaction as Momo walked between her and Izuku. The tall girl seemed really happy as they were walking down the street together.

"This...was what you meant by study date Midori?" Mina said through a very strained smile.

Izuku was bit confused by the look. "Well yeah. Who better to have a study session with than the number one academic student in our class. It makes sense."

"Yes Ashido, it makes sense. And I will do anything for my classmates." Momo puffed up her chest as Midoriya was looking at the sky. Mina looked a little irritated by the rich girl's move and pouted.

A loud gurgle was heard and everyone stopped. The girl's looked at their male companion who was sweating profusely out of embarrassment. The two didn't say a word as they moved a little closer. Another loud gurgle and Izuku was turning bright red too.

"Why don't we get some snacks? There's a convenience store right there!" He quickly pointed down the street towards it. "What do you guys like? Muffins? Chips? Oh, cola! I can get us cola."

"Oh how bout pocky sticks!" Mina added on.

"Pocky sounds good." Izuku dashed off quickly to the store.

Mina and Momo were alone when the rich girl turned to her. "So...dance lessons? I must admit I'm surprised you offered to teach."

"Well before Midori was always too close to landing a haymaker when we went out one night."

Momo froze. Her chest tightened even further than it was when Mina kissed Izuku on the cheek. She remembered when Takahashi interviewed her, he told her that Izuku passed out from going with her. "Y-You went on a date?"

Mina nodded. "Yup. I took him out to one of my favorite hang out spots. I really wanted to help him out of his rut."

The burning fire of jealousy suddenly dissipated. Momo raised an eyebrow as Mina's eyes almost dropped their happiness. "I found him on the beach. His hands were wrapped and I saw a bunch of destroyed rocks. Not to mention when we got breakfast together, his mind would always wander. I was...a little scared honestly."

"Izuku. He's tried to remain positive no matter what. Always looking out for us despite him being the one who had to fight the Nomu. I mean his back was…" Momo covered her mouth. Mina saw this and held her. The image was clear as day. Izuku looking right at her with blood spewing from his mouth and eyes almost entirely white while the Nomu shattered his spine. "It was gruesome. Most people would be dead."

"Yet he's still here and got me to agree to do a study date. I always wondered if he was too stubborn to die."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he's always there. We're his friends and fellow heroes in training. We can be there for him as he has been for us." Momo said with her fist pumped up.

Mina nodded happily. "Speaking of which, when's he getting back? I really feel pumped up for studying."

"Let's go see Ashido."

If only they stayed for a minute longer. They would notice a man looking at the store and one of his hands in his pockets. Another was a student of the same age as the trio. He walked up behind the man and held his shoulder.

"Will you go through? Jun?"

"I-I have to. It won't end unless I do something!" Jun exclaimed. "Thank you. Thank you for helping me gain the courage. You're amazing...uh..."

"Danju, but you won't remember it."

Jun's eyes rolled back into his head for a second as the name now escaped his grasp.

There was almost a purplish tint in his eyes as the student smirked. "Just do what you must. I will watch from here and see that no one else interferes."

"I'll show them. I'll show that bastard!" Jun marched forward towards the store.

In the store Izuku was holding two pocky boxes, several drinks, and some sandwiches. It was also a little shameful to admit, but most of this was just for him. He still needed to get some stuff for the girls. Ever since he started using chakra, his appetite seemed to have grown. That adds on to what his workout routine demanded for One for All and he was lucky that Takahashi made most of his meals filling.

"Midori? You doing some grocery shopping too?" Izuku was too surprised by the voice and accidentally sent all of his items flying into the air. He panicked and quickly caught each item before ending up in a weird pose.

"Mina? Momo?!" The two girls were a little amused by the reaction as Momo picked up a pocky box. "Eh sorry guys, I came here for a snack but all I picked out was stuff for me."

"All this is for you?" They both asked. Izuku nodded and the two girls shook their head before picking out their own snacks. They didn't notice the new person entering. Nor did they see the look in his eyes.

His accomplice smiles as he watches from the outside. Placing a hand on the wall, a thin purple light covers the building.

Izuku's head snaps up when he senses something. "Mina, Momo be on guard."

"Wha-"

"Hands up!" A man shouted. Izuku, Momo, and Mina turned around and saw the man now pulling out a gun. One gunshot and the three heroes got into their stances.

"Jun, what the hell?!" One of the patrons yelled closest to him.

"Shut up!" He pistol whipped the guy before pressing the barrel against his temple. "None of you move! If you do then I'll blow his brains all over the floor!"

The trio didn't move as they didn't know the quirk of the assailant and that the store had a few people in there as well.

"Damn. We need to act quickly." Izuku said. He looked at the outside and he could feel something tingling from inside him. His sixth sense was going crazy at what was around the store, but he couldn't focus on that with a gunman near them.

The two agreed. "But Izuku we can't use our quirks. It'll be seen as misuse."

Izuku didn't like that point. There were laws enacted that quirk usage in combat can be granted through either permission from heroes/police or holding a valid license. There was no middle ground or good Samaritan laws apparently. "Leave this to me. Excuse me, sir!"

"Heh?!" Jun turned towards Izuku. The green haired teen held his hands up in surrender. "What the hell do you want?"

"I'd like to purchase my snacks but we can start with putting away your gun. It's freaking out some people here."

While Izuku was talking Momo turned to Mina and they herded several of the patrons slowly away from the assailant. They could escape or call the police when it was possible. One of the few tried getting a better look at the two.

"Good. Good I want them to be scared, I really do!" Izuku noticed his eyes almost look to the side and used that moment to step forward.

"Jun?" One of the guys muttered. "A great it's him. This will be easy. Let me up."

Momo put up her hand. "Sir, we're trying to get everyone out of here. We need to-"

"Oh come on lady, knock it off. It's just Jun. He's a loser."

"A loser with a gun. Listen to us, it's not safe." Mina nudged in. The man moved Mina aside and strode toward Jun. The girls went to stop him when he opened his mouth.

"Shut up you quirkless freak!" Izuku stopped right there. Jun's pupils shrunk in anger, but Izuku barely noticed as he looked at the patron who shouted. His expression. It was angry, cocky, but held something even more harsh. Superiority.

These were the words that described every face of his bully, Bakugou and others. And for a brief second, Izuku's body wasn't moving. It forced itself to stop and listen to the words that triggered his old instincts. Momo, Mina, and especially the patron outside watched Izuku Midoriya, the second place winner of the Sports Festival and survivor of the USJ, freeze.

"What did you say?" Jun asked.

"Put the fake gun away. You fired a blank dumbass. I suppose you feel real good now scaring everyone. But the game's up!"

"Oh this isn't a game Shintani, I assure you." Jun said. He pointed the gun at the guy and fired. Izuku broke out of his stupor too late as the guy was hit in the shoulder. Mina and Momo tried to move forward but Jun shot at their feet. They stopped in his place as he chuckled darkly to himself. "See. See you bastard, I got guts now!"

"You bitch. You're saying that because-"

"Shut the hell up!" Izuku shouted. He jumped between the two as Jun pointed the gun right at him. "You don't provoke a guy with a gun. It doesn't matter if he's quirkless or not."

His friends tried taking another step before Izuku held his hand up. "Neither of you move! There's no need to get violent."

Jun kept the gun trained on Izuku as the green teen faced him. He held his hands up to show no tricks and luckily for Jun he knew that this guy had a powerful quirk, but didn't seem fast enough to deal with a bullet.

"We talk about this. There's no need for anymore bloodshed."

"You, someone who almost destroyed an entire stadium, is begging me to stop. This too good." Jun gave a crazed smile. "I like you begging. Do it again."

"I'm negotiating." Jun didn't like that and aimed at Momo. The man was just outside her range to attack.

"Do it...again."

Izuku complied. "Please, we don't need to do this. I understand your situation. More than you-"

"Don't you act like you know me!" Jun yelled. Izuku flinched when he felt his sixth sense go wild. For a second he could see something in Jun's eyes. Something purple. "You think you get me? That you understand being fucking powerless? That guy can sharpen his nails to a finer point and he thinks he's better than me! ME! I'm tired of guys like him pushing and guys like patronizing."

"I am not patronizing. I really get it, I was bullied as well." Mina and Momo shared a look of surprise at the point.

"You? The guy who tank a fucking iceberg? Lying isn't something you should do as a future hero! You are really pissing me off." Izuku felt the stress building. His instinct to use chakra was growing, but his body did it's best to remain calm.

"Please understand that it doesn't have to be this way." Jun's eyes wavered for a second. Izuku seemed so genuine in helping him, understanding him. How did he-why is doing this? Jun's arm wavered and Izuku took another step forward.

Outside the store, Danju looked on with surprise. "Impossible. Is he using his own chakra to reach out and break my hold over Jun. Does he know how to use it? No, it's unlikely. Father says that the technique can only be used by those truly in control of their chakra. He gives no reading of such."

Danju raised his hand and purple like vines wrapped around his hand. "I need to control him directly!"

 _Across Town_

Midnight sighed when the thug swung the first punch. She caught his arm and brought her hand to the back of his head to slam it against the table. Another went to grab her when Takahashi stood up and stopped his arm. The second thug looked at the old man when he punched him right in the nose and sent him flying.

"Any chance you can change those chocolate browns blue by any chance?"

"Not sure. These guys really don't seem worth it." He replied. The two were soon surrounded. "They actually expected you. You can't knock everyone out."

"I could, but that depends. You wanna have fun?" Midnight asked as she moved herself against his back. Takahashi cracked his knuckles.

"I'm bored so why not."

The group of mooks let out a war cry and charged. The two went to work and fended off their attackers. Midnight kicked one of the girls between the legs and grabbed her whip. Wrapping it around her neck, she yanked hard and sent the woman flying through the air. The R-18 hero quickly turned around and saw another goon charging right at her.

Takahashi saw this and turned to his current opponent. He quickly struck the man three times in the body and stunned him with a blow to the chin. Pulling back, he opened his palm and slammed him in the chest. It sent the man flying and into Midnight's would be attacker.

Midnight quickly turned around to see her next enemy. She quickly swept them off their feet and raised her leg high. Slamming her heel against his head, the man fell unconscious. The hero turned over to her companion and saw a group of people on the floor. He was playing around with another thug when he moved behind him, picked him off the ground, and slammed him through a table.

"That was pretty rough."

"He'll live."

The doors burst open as Argon pounded behind the glass. "You two are a cute couple, you'll be even cuter when you're dead!"

Several more people came out of the woodworks.

"Going blue?"

"Fine." Takahashi slammed his hand on the ground. His blues eyes replaced his brown ones and several tendrils broke out of the ground. Before anyone could act, they were pulled deep into the ground. Argon watched on in horror as he saw this. He grabbed a few of his personal guards and made a break for it.

Midnight saw this. "We got runners! Argon and his personal squad are trying to escape!"

Outside, Death Arms, Kamui Woods, and Mt. Lady saw the group of men. Argon pointed at two of them and they engaged. One man bulked up considerably and took on Death Arms. The other formed multiple clones of himself.

"Kamui!" Mt. Lady said. The wooden hero began crowd control, but some of the clones merged and grew several stories high. "Oh this I can work with."

Midnight and Takahashi ran out the bar to see the fight. They heard tires squealing and saw a car drive down the road at high speeds. Takahashi turned to Midnight.

"I got this."

"Good, I'll handle things here, but do one thing for me handsome." He turned to her and she cupped his chin. "Keep the face intact."

He snickered and put his hand on her wrist, gently pulling down. "I plan to."

In a flash, he was gone. Midnight smiled at her small flirtatious victory before raising her hands and blocking a strike with her whip. One of the cloned henchmen felt a chill down his spine as Midnight licked her lips.

"Don't interrupt me while I'm in the moment. It's rude." She said before tearing open her sleeve.

Takahashi was running down the road at lightning fast speeds. The wind whistled in his ears as he managed to see the car in the distance. He will give credit, the car was fast and the driver was good. He had instincts were good.

Yet not good enough. Takahashi smirked. Feeling the rush of the hunt, the chase. It was all too familiar. Times of peace have dulled his skills slightly and even training Izuku hasn't given him the necessary push.

Reaching deep within, Takahashi sped up even faster. The cars slowing down to a snail's pace. In mere seconds he caught up with the car. The reaction on the driver, his rider, and Argon were priceless as Takahashi slashed one of their tires.

The car whirred out of control and went over the railing, down towards the docks. It. landed with a crunch, but he could sense all three passengers were alive. He jumped up to the railing and saw the three try to get out.

Down at the docks, Takahashi hopped down and approached the car. Argon and both of his lackeys crawled out of the car. The Scarlet and the other lackey were still recovering but Argon got up and ran as fast as he could away from.

"Stop trying to run, you won't get away!" Takahashi yelled. The concrete cracked underneath his feet as he sped across the ground next to Argon. Spinning fast, he landed a hard haymaker to the man's head.

The crime boss slammed into the ground and was stuck in his own little crater. Takahashi cracked his neck while looking at his handy work. "You gave a decent chase, I'll give you that."

"D-Damn you." Argon choked out. He was fluttering in and out of consciousness when the other heroes arrived.

"You're so fast. We barely caught up." Kamui Woods said. "Don't worry about his associates. I binded them up for the police. They'll be here shortly."

Death Arms and Midnight arrived on the shoulders of Mt. Lady and hopped off when they got close. The two examined the handy work as Takahashi relaxed.

"Alright we got Argon. Now we can have someone patch him up before he can clarify what he means about you..." Death Arms said. He glanced at Takahashi and the downed crime boss. They all heard what he was implying, but he wanted to clarify. "I'm not saying you're guilty but-"

"There's someone with my likeness. It's not too hard to imagine given what they saw." Midnight saw her companion's eyes harden a little. "Still, it's hard to imagine that there's someone among the people killing all these gangs. And with a quirk like that."

"Y-You idiots." The group of heroes looked down. "You don't believe me? The enemy is standing among you. What stops you from taking him down? Why won't you do you damn jobs!"

Midnight tsked as a response. "Now why would we do that? I personally know this man inside and out. If he were a naughty boy, I would've been the first to find out."

"Don't make it sound like that." Takahashi mumbled.

Argon slowly pushed himself up and spat a wad of blood at their feet. "Pft, it's easy for the whore to say that."

"You better take that back." Takahashi growled.

The villain sneered before he grabbed onto Kamui Wood's leg. He pulled the hero towards him and gripped his throat.

"Damn it, no!" Death Arms, Mt. Lady, and Midnight shouted as the villain wrapped the hero in tighter.

"You all really been pushing me today." Argon said. "You broke my crew up, destroyed my place, and you brought this bastard. You don't even know who he is!"

Takahashi's fist clenched as he watched Kamui Woods struggling underneath his grasp. "Whoever you're talking about I'm not that."

"You glow like fire, energy tendrils break through and move the Earth, your words are like honey. You heroes want the one who's been taking down the gangs, you're looking right at the villain right in front of you! You can have tree man back when you arrest that guy!"

Midnight stepped up. "This man has nothing to do with those crimes you've mentioned. You've got no proof either. Quirks can be replicated and misinterpreted. What makes you so sure? You said yourself, this guy was glowing pink. And far as I could tell, our man is blue."

Argon tightened his grip and Kamui Woods looked like he was struggling to breath. "You're all so fucking blind. You're all blind! People are dead because of him! He will lead you all to ruin! He can change his color, he can do things that will make your head spin."

Takahashi stepped closer and Argon backed up slightly. His hands started to turn orange and small hissing was heard. Kamui groaned against the heat as Mt. Lady put a hand on Takahashi's shoulder.

"If you get any closer, he's gonna burn him! We need a different plan."

"Don't worry Mt. Lady. He won't even get the chance." His eyes turned blue.

Argon stepped closer to the edge. "You won't even get the chance. You're fast and you know how to scrap, but you're not going to get me. You got these heroes fooled, but not me. Killing those gangs might've been worth it but-GAWH!"

Kamui Woods felt the grip loosen and he fell forward. His eyes turned just in time to see Takahashi's fist planted deep against Argon's cheek. Mt. Lady caught Kamui Woods as the entire thing proceeded in slow motion.

Takahashi rained down a barrage of fists into the gang leader. Argon spewed blood and spit everywhere when the last punch sent him into the wall.

"I-Impossible. I accounted for everything, but he was still fast enough to get me before I harmed his friend."

"You underestimated me, friend. I'm nothing like your boogie man. Even if we share some similarities, it still wouldn't prepare you for me." Takahashi said as he pointed at the leader. Argon tried to give a death glare before passing out from the pain and exhaustion.

Death Arms whistled. "Damn that was fast. At least you're okay right, Kamui?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But I made an amateur mistake." He said as Mt. Lady patted him on the back.

Midnight let out a sigh of relief as she went to check on Takahashi, who was now kneeling on the ground, and see if he was alright. "That was pretty good what you did there. I gotta admit, it caught me by...Takahashi?"

"Get back! All of you get back, now!" Takahashi yelled. The group of heroes turned to their newest member who turned around and showed his arm.

"Holy shit!" Mt. Lady shouted in horror.

Takahashi's arm was covered in fungus and boils. It ate away at his sleeve and exposed his forearm to the world in all its nastiness. One of the boils popped with blood and pus leaking out.

"It's not...Argon." He muttered as clutched his arm. Midnight ran to him and tried helping him up when they heard laughter. The gang leader on the wall pushed himself up to his feet with his face falling apart. "Bastard must've used had someone use their quirk to switch. One of his lackeys was the boss!"

Death Arms and Mt. Lady turned to the wooden binds that Kamui put up, only to see no one in a bind.

"Correct." The new face said. "I needed you to only hit me once for my quirk to activate, but you went up and punched me so many times. Geez you hit like a tank."

"Who the hell are you? And where's the real Argon?!" Mt. Lady asked.

"My name, sweetheart, is Kiniko. And you're really not in a position to argue. My Quirk: Fungi Infection currently has your friend in a bit of a rut. Screw with me more and I'll see to it that his arm won't be the only thing bursting."

Midnight looked at his arm. "Can't you heal yourself?"

"What the hell do you think I've been doing? I can't." He lifted his arm and pointed at one of the mushrooms growing. The roots seemed to be sapping something blue. "It's taking my strength and making itself stronger."

The sleeve continued to be eaten up by the fungi and travelled up to his bicep. Takahashi groaned as Kiniko laughed. "That's because only I can take them away, but I won't! How's it feel you energetic punchy motherfucker?! I made extra sure that those boils really melt your flesh. For everyone you've killed, huh!"

"This is annoying. I haven't killed anyone!" Takahashi growled as he slowly stood up with his right arm limp.

"Enough of this." Midnight said as she ripped her sleeve. Pink gas escaped into the air as Takahashi protected his lungs from her adverse effects. Kiniko jumped back from the cloud. "Get back here and fix him!"

"Like hell I will. I wanted to watch him die personally, but I'll settle for seeing the puddle flesh when it's all over!" He ran off into one of the tunnels. Midnight gritted her teeth when she felt the wind blow hard against her face. She saw a hole in the cloud around them and Takahashi missing.

"Takahashi!" She shouted.

Kiniko ran down one of the open tunnels when a blue tendril blocked his path. He yelped and turned around only for another one to block his path. Blue light surrounded him when he heard footsteps.

"You are gonna fix me." Takahashi stepped through and with his arm hanging loosely to his side as he growled at his enemy. Kiniko panted as the cold hand of fear clutched his heart. "Please."

Kiniko froze in place as the word entered his ears. His eyes widened and his body felt like it was out of control. He struggled as his arm slowly raised up and Takahashi raised his own.

"I hate using this move, but I prefer this over breaking your body." Takahashi said. Kiniko tried to open his mouth, however, his lips were sealed tight. The fungus from his arm slowly decayed and left his arm in a mangled state. Takahashi winced at the cool air brushing across his wound. He gritted his teeth and channeled his power. Flesh and blood grew back before pink skin covered it all up. It was good as new.

Kiniko's eyes finally sharpened when he saw Takahashi flexing his newly healed arm. He panicked and tried to strike, but he was flung across into a wall before he even lifted his fist. Takahashi stood above him looking down at him.

"That's enough. Now where's Argon?" He asked.

Kiniko spat a wad of blood at his feet and chuckled. "They're already with him."

"What do you mean the heroes are already with him?" Takahashi grabbed Kiniko by the throat.

"I-It's exactly what I mean...Argon knew he couldn't handle a freak like you. But if you got your allies. The people you brainwash then you'll suffer." Kiniko choked out. Takahashi gritted his teeth as he slammed his elbow against Kiniko's jaw. He tied up the villain in chakra binds before running out the tunnels.

To his surprise cop cars were everywhere and Tsukauchi was with them. "Takahashi! You're not with the group. Thank God that means not everyone was taken."

The old man clenched his fists as he saw splatters of blood.

"We got a call from a dock worker. Apparently when you pursued a villain, a group of his associates came in and took out Mt. Lady and Death Arms with darts."

"And the blood?"

The detective flipped over his notes. "Midnight and Kamui Woods weren't knocked out but a villains managed to get in close and beat them unconscious."

"This day cannot get any worse." Takahashi said.

Unknown to him in a mini mart across the town, Izuku stood between a gun and the horrible bully. He was too focused on him to see the purple vines slithering across the floor and touching Jun.

"You don't want to do this. The police will have you under murder charges if you kill this man." Izuku pleaded.

Momo was busy wrapping up the wounds of the victim while Mina kept everyone else calm.

Jun just looked at Izuku sadly and slightly lowered the gun. Izuku gave a sigh of relief as he relaxed himself. "I already made peace with that. What's another life added to that?"

The green haired one looked up to see Jun point right at his chest. His eyes were completely purple.

 _ **BANG!**_


End file.
